Shloka 18
Viṣṇu as the Embodied Purāṇas and the Merit of Hearing the Svarga-khaṇḍa
अन्यानि च सुकर्माणि कृतानि तेन धीमता । येनादिखंडं सदसि श्रुतं संश्रावितं तथा
anyāni ca sukarmāṇi kṛtāni tena dhīmatā | yenādikhaṃḍaṃ sadasi śrutaṃ saṃśrāvitaṃ tathā
Und auch andere verdienstvolle Taten wurden von jenem Weisen vollbracht: Er war es, der in der Versammlung den Ādi-khaṇḍa hörte und ihn ebenso laut rezitieren ließ, damit andere ihn vernehmen.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context)
Concept: Śravaṇa and śrāvaṇa (hearing and causing others to hear) of Purāṇic scripture is itself a powerful sukṛta that multiplies merit through transmission.
Application: Attend and sponsor recitations; read aloud to family/community; support preservation and teaching of dharma texts with humility and accuracy.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a grand assembly hall, a learned reciter sits on a low vyāsāsana, palm-leaf manuscript open, while listeners—sages, householders, and celestial beings—sit in concentric circles. The air is thick with incense and attentive silence, as the words of the Ādi-khaṇḍa ripple outward like sacred sound-waves.","primary_figures":["pāṭhaka (reciter)","wise patron (the 'dhīmān')","assembled listeners (ṛṣis, brāhmaṇas, devotees)"],"setting":"Kathā-maṇḍapa with carved pillars, hanging lamps, manuscript stand, garlanded dais, and offerings of flowers and sandal paste.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","sandalwood beige","deep maroon","palm-leaf green","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ornate kathā-sabhā with gold-leaf lamps and halos; reciter on vyāsāsana reading palm-leaf manuscript, patron offering flowers; rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing, heavy gold borders and traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate satsang scene with delicate brushwork; listeners in soft textiles, refined faces turned toward the reciter; cool blues and warm ochres, patterned carpets, gentle architectural lines and lyrical stillness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and rhythmic rows of listeners; central reciter with stylized eyes, manuscript emphasized; warm yellow-red-green palette, temple-wall framing bands, incense curls rendered as decorative motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional recitation pavilion framed by lotus and floral borders; symmetrical arrangement of lamps and garlands; deep indigo ground with gold highlights, peacocks at corners, intricate textile patterns suggesting sacred sound."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft cymbals (tāla)","page rustle of palm leaves","incense crackle","attentive silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yenādikhaṃḍam → yena ādi-khaṇḍam; saṃśrāvitaṃ → saṃ-śrāvitam.
FAQs
It praises śravaṇa (devout listening) and saṃśrāvaṇa (causing scripture to be publicly recited/heard) of the Ādi-khaṇḍa in an assembly as a meritorious deed.
“Sadasi” indicates a public or communal setting—an assembly—highlighting collective hearing/recitation rather than private study alone.
Wisdom is shown through accumulating merit not only by personal virtue but also by enabling others to access sacred teachings through public recitation and shared listening.