Shloka 33
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
पातयिष्यामि ते खाते यथायोगं प्रमज्जतु । उन्मज्जति च यत्काले प्रस्तरः संतरत्यपि
pātayiṣyāmi te khāte yathāyogaṃ pramajjatu | unmajjati ca yatkāle prastaraḥ saṃtaratyapi
„Ich werde dich in die Grube stürzen; sinke hinab, wie es sich ziemt. Und wenn die Zeit kommt, wieder aufzutauchen, wird selbst ein Stein hinübertreiben können.“
Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses of Adhyaya 57)
Concept: Adharma often demands ‘impossible proofs’ and humiliating ordeals; true dharma rejects coercive tests that endanger life.
Application: Refuse unethical ‘tests’ in relationships or workplaces; do not accept coercion disguised as verification.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the edge of a deep pit beside a sacred tank, the envious instigator gestures coldly as attendants prepare a heavy stone slab. The victim stands near the brink, the crowd frozen in dread, while the water’s surface reflects an ominous sky—hinting at a coming reversal where even stone may float.","primary_figures":["envious instigator","intended victim","attendants","witnesses"],"setting":"bank of a large sacred pond with a nearby pit, stone slab on ropes, gathered onlookers","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","slate gray","cold silver","mud brown","pale cyan"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic pond-bank scene with a massive stone slab, figures in tense poses, gold leaf accents on jewelry and water highlights, deep reds and blues, ornate framing that contrasts sacred setting with cruel intent.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical yet tense landscape with a pond, soft gradients in night sky, delicate figures near a pit, the stone slab rendered with fine texture, suspense conveyed through posture and spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized pond waves, expressive eyes showing fear and cruelty, strong red-yellow-green palette tempered with dark blues, decorative borders emphasizing the moral drama.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: sacred pond with lotus motifs and ornate borders, narrative figures arranged in a frieze, deep indigo water with gold ripples, symbolic stone slab central as a dark counterpoint to floral sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["wind over water","rope creak","crowd gasp","distant conch (faint)","sudden silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्काले = यत् + काले; संतरत्यपि = संतरति + अपि
FAQs
It uses a vivid image of sinking and later rising to suggest that circumstances can reverse with time—what seems impossible (like a stone floating) can become possible when conditions change.
Yes. It implies patience and the inevitability of change: downfall (sinking) may be followed by recovery (rising), and outcomes depend on the right time and conditions.
The speaker cannot be identified from the single verse alone. In the Padma Purana, many sections are framed as dialogues (e.g., Pulastya–Bhīṣma, Śiva–Pārvatī), so the surrounding verses of Adhyaya 57 are needed to assign the speaker reliably.