Shloka 120
Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas
Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy
यथा ययातिर्धर्मात्मा यथा राजा पुरूरवाः । तथा त्वं कुरुशार्दूल स्वेन धर्मेण शोभसे
yathā yayātirdharmātmā yathā rājā purūravāḥ | tathā tvaṃ kuruśārdūla svena dharmeṇa śobhase
Just as Yayāti was righteous, and just as King Purūravas was renowned, so too you—O tiger among the Kurus—shine by your own dharma.
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue speaker precisely)
Concept: True splendor arises from one’s own dharma (svadharma) practiced with integrity, as seen in famed kings.
Application: Do your role conscientiously—family, work, leadership—without envy of others’ paths; let character be the source of reputation.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Kuru prince stands in a palace courtyard, listening as a sage points to painted panels of Yayāti and Purūravas—ancestral mirrors of righteousness. The prince’s posture is humble yet firm, as if his own dharma forms a radiant armor around him.","primary_figures":["Kuru hero (kuruśārdūla)","teaching sage","Yayāti (depicted in mural/panel)","Purūravas (depicted in mural/panel)"],"setting":"royal sabhā or palace courtyard with carved pillars, dharma-śāstra palm-leaf bundles, and ancestral murals","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["royal maroon","antique gold","lapis blue","ivory","smoked bronze"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the Kuru hero receiving counsel in a jeweled court, gold leaf on pillars and halos, rich reds/greens, inset narrative panels of Yayāti and Purūravas with ornate crowns, traditional iconographic symmetry and embossed ornamentation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate architecture, cool palette, refined facial features, narrative panels like miniature paintings within the painting, soft shading and lyrical restraint.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, warm pigments, the sage gesturing toward stylized ancestral figures, rhythmic pillar patterns, large expressive eyes, mural-like flat perspective.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: dharma-themed court framed by lotus and floral borders, central figure of the Kuru hero with symbolic lotus footprints, surrounding medallions of Yayāti and Purūravas, deep blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft mridang-like pulse","lamp flame crackle","distant conch from palace shrine","quiet hall ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yayātir dharmātmā → yayātiḥ dharmātmā; rāmaś ca → rāmaḥ ca (in next verse); svadharmeṇārjitāmurvīm → sva-dharmeṇa arjitām urvīm (later verse).
FAQs
They are exemplary ancient kings invoked as standards of royal virtue and renown; the verse compares the addressed person’s dharma to theirs.
Literally “tiger among the Kurus,” it is an honorific for a heroic or outstanding person belonging to the Kuru lineage.
True splendor and reputation arise from one’s own adherence to dharma—personal righteous conduct is presented as the source of lasting glory.