Shloka 57
Teaching on Karma-yoga
Discipline of Action as Worship
भवन्मध्यं तु राजन्यो वैश्यस्तु भवदुत्तरम् । मातरं वा स्वसारं वा मातुर्वा भगिनीं निजाम्
bhavanmadhyaṃ tu rājanyo vaiśyastu bhavaduttaram | mātaraṃ vā svasāraṃ vā māturvā bhaginīṃ nijām
«O König, der Kṣatriya steht im mittleren Rang, und der Vaiśya ist unter dir eingeordnet. (Man soll sich nicht unziemlich nähern) der Mutter, der Schwester oder der eigenen mütterlichen Tante.»
Unspecified (context not provided for speaker identification)
Concept: Maryādā (moral boundary) and kula-śuddhi: one must never transgress prohibited kin-relations; social rank is acknowledged but subordinated to ethical restraint.
Application: Maintain clear boundaries in family relationships; treat social roles responsibly without using them to justify misconduct; cultivate self-restraint as daily sādhana.
Primary Rasa: dharma
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn royal court where a sage instructs a king on dharma: behind them, a symbolic lotus-throne of Viṣṇu appears faintly, suggesting that social order is upheld under divine oversight. The composition contrasts the king’s regalia with the sage’s austere calm, while a subtle boundary motif—like a sacred cord or circular mandala—marks the inviolable limits of kinship.","primary_figures":["a dharma-teaching sage (Pulastya-like)","a listening king (Bhīṣma-like royal figure)","symbolic Vishnu-lotus aura (non-central)"],"setting":"royal sabhā with carved pillars, dharma-śāstra palm-leaf manuscripts, and a distant temple silhouette","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","sandalwood beige","indigo","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage seated on a low wooden āsana instructs a crowned king in a pillared court; gold leaf halo around the sage and a faint lotus-medallion of Viṣṇu in the background; rich reds and greens, ornate jewelry on the king, gem-studded borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, embossed gold detailing on manuscripts and pillars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined sage and king in a quiet court veranda, delicate linework and soft shading; cool indigo and rose tones; a thin mandala-circle on the floor symbolizing moral boundaries; distant temple spire and pale sky, lyrical restraint and gentle facial expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red/yellow/green pigments; sage with pronounced eyes and calm mudrā teaching dharma to a king; stylized lotus emblem behind them; temple-wall aesthetic with patterned borders and rhythmic ornamentation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion with subtle Viṣṇu symbolism above a courtly scene; ornate floral borders, peacocks at the margins; deep blues and gold; the sage’s instruction rendered as a moral tableau with decorative dharma motifs rather than narrative action."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells (soft)","low drone (tanpura)","court ambience (hushed)","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवन्मध्यं = भवत् + मध्यम्; वैश्यस्तु = वैश्यः + तु; भवदुत्तरम् = भवत् + उत्तरम्; मातुर्वा = मातुः + वा.
FAQs
It touches on dharma in two areas: social ranking (varna placement) and ethical prohibitions regarding close female relatives.
No. As given, it focuses on social-ethical instruction rather than a deity, pilgrimage site, or ritual.
It reinforces boundaries of conduct—recognizing social duties/roles and explicitly forbidding sexual impropriety with one’s mother, sister, or maternal aunt.