Shloka 12
Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra
Pilgrimage Merits
ऋषिरुवाच । तपस्विनो धर्म्मपथस्थितस्य द्विजसत्तम । किं न पश्यसि मे ब्रह्मन्क्षताच्छाकरसं सृतम्
ṛṣiruvāca | tapasvino dharmmapathasthitasya dvijasattama | kiṃ na paśyasi me brahmankṣatācchākarasaṃ sṛtam
Der ṛṣi sprach: „O Bester der Zweimalgeborenen, Asket, der auf dem Pfad des Dharma steht. O Brahmane, siehst du nicht, dass aus meiner Wunde Zuckerrohrsaft hervorströmt?“
Ṛṣi (a sage; unnamed in this verse)
Concept: Do not be complacent in one’s ascetic identity; perception can be clouded—one may miss the obvious sign of inner transformation or distortion.
Application: Regularly examine whether spiritual practice is producing humility and clarity; ask trusted mentors to mirror blind spots.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage lifts his hand to show a small wound, yet from it flows luminous sugarcane-juice, impossibly sweet and glistening. The onlooker leans forward in disbelief, while the hermitage air feels charged—half miracle, half warning.","primary_figures":["ṛṣi (speaker)","dvija ascetic (addressed)"],"setting":"āśrama courtyard with a stone basin catching the flowing juice, kusa mats, and a simple wooden staff; faint celestial aura in the background","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["amber gold","cane green","pearl white","copper brown","smoky violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close-up devotional tableau of a rishi displaying a wounded hand with golden sugarcane-juice streaming into a small vessel; heavy gold leaf highlights on the liquid and halo, rich maroon backdrop, ornate borders, traditional jewelry on sages rendered in stylized South Indian manner.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate scene with delicate lines—transparent golden juice flowing from a tiny cut, the listener’s widened eyes; cool forest greens, soft shading, fine textile patterns, distant hills and a small hut.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, simplified but dramatic gesture of the rishi’s hand, thick golden-yellow stream, red/yellow/green pigments, temple-wall composition with decorative creeper borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative vignette framed by lotus and sugarcane motifs; central hand with stylized golden stream, attendants in añjali; deep blue ground with gold detailing, floral borders and peacocks at corners."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft gasp of onlookers","dripping liquid into a vessel","temple bells (single strikes)","wind through leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऋषिरुवाच = ऋषिः + उवाच; ब्रह्मन्क्षताच्छाकरसं = ब्रह्मन् + क्षतात् + शाकरसम् (क्षतात् + शा… → क्षताच्छा…); अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि न्यून।
FAQs
The speaker is a ṛṣi (sage), addressing a “dvija-sattama,” i.e., an exemplary Brahmin/learned twice-born person.
The verse highlights a striking, almost miraculous detail: the sage claims sugarcane-juice is flowing from his wound, and questions why the ascetic Brahmin does not notice it.
The address “tapasvin” and “dharma-patha-sthita” frames the episode within ascetic discipline and dharma, implying a test of perception, attentiveness, or discernment in a dharmic life.