Shloka 88
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
विक्रीय चात्मजां मूढो नरकान्न निवर्त्तते । लोभादसदृशे पुंसि कन्यां यस्तु प्रयच्छति
vikrīya cātmajāṃ mūḍho narakānna nivarttate | lobhādasadṛśe puṃsi kanyāṃ yastu prayacchati
Der Verblendete, der seine eigene Tochter verkauft, kehrt nicht aus der Hölle zurück. Und wer aus Gier ein Mädchen einem unwürdigen oder ihr nicht ebenbürtigen Mann zur Ehe gibt, verfällt demselben Schicksal.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 52)
Concept: Treating a daughter as merchandise and arranging marriage from greed violates dharma and leads to naraka; marriage is a sacred trust, not a transaction.
Application: Reject any form of bride-selling or coercive ‘price’; prioritize character, compatibility, and consent; keep marriage rites free from financial bargaining.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn marriage pavilion is split into two moral worlds: on one side a greedy father counts coins with a shadowy, unworthy suitor looming; on the other, a radiant dharmic wedding fire glows, suggesting the path not taken. In the background, a dark chasm labeled ‘naraka’ is hinted through smoky reds and iron silhouettes, warning of karmic consequence.","primary_figures":["a father overcome by greed","a maiden (kanyā)","an unfit suitor","Agni (as the wedding fire, symbolic)","Dharma (personified, optional)"],"setting":"marriage maṇḍapa with vedī and sacred fire; contrasting shadowy corner suggesting hellish consequence","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit shifting into ominous ember-glow","color_palette":["smoldering vermilion","ash gray","antique gold","deep indigo","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian marriage maṇḍapa with Agni at center, gold-leaf halo around the sacred fire and Dharma personified as a regal figure; the greedy father rendered with heavy jewelry and coin-pouch, the unworthy groom in darker tones; ornate pillars, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, dramatic contrast between dharmic radiance and a shadowy naraka vignette at the border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate wedding pavilion with fine linework, the maiden in soft pastel garments, the father’s anxious greed shown through subtle gesture; a lyrical yet cautionary composition with a faint smoky ravine in the distance symbolizing naraka; cool natural palette with refined faces and gentle architectural detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized expressive eyes, Agni blazing in red-yellow-green pigments; the father’s greed shown by exaggerated hand clutching coins; a dark, swirling corner motif indicating naraka; temple-wall aesthetic with symmetrical framing and decorative floral borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a moral tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; central sacred fire with intricate patterns, peacocks at corners; the greedy transaction depicted at one side in muted tones, while dharmic blessing motifs (lotus, conch, chakra symbols) appear on the other; deep blues and gold accents, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","crackling sacred fire","distant conch shell","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चात्मजाम् = च + आत्मजाम्; नरकान्न = नरकात् + न; लोभादसदृशे = लोभात् + असदृशे; यस्तु = यः + तु
FAQs
It condemns treating a daughter as property for profit and warns against arranging a marriage driven by greed, especially to an unsuitable or mismatched man—both presented as grave violations of dharma.
No. This verse is a moral injunction concerning marriage ethics and the sin of greed, not a description of tīrthas or sacred geography.
By emphasizing dharmic conduct and restraint from greed, it frames moral purity as foundational for spiritual life; unethical actions are said to lead to severe karmic consequences that obstruct progress.