Shloka 186
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
श्रीभगवानुवाच । कल्याणानां च सर्वेषां कर्त्ता मूको जगत्त्रये । वृत्तस्थो योपि चाण्डालस्तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदुः
śrībhagavānuvāca | kalyāṇānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ karttā mūko jagattraye | vṛttastho yopi cāṇḍālastaṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
Dijo el Bienaventurado Señor: Aun un mudo, si es hacedor de toda clase de bien en los tres mundos—aunque sea caṇḍāla por nacimiento—si está firme en la recta conducta, los devas lo reconocen como brāhmaṇa.
Śrī Bhagavān (the Lord)
Concept: Varṇa by birth is secondary to varṇa by guṇa and karma; righteous conduct and universal beneficence elevate a person beyond social labels.
Application: Judge self and others by character and service; cultivate consistent good deeds, truthfulness, non-harm, and devotion rather than relying on status.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bhagavān speaks from a radiant presence, his gaze compassionate yet firm, as celestial beings hover in assent. A humble caṇḍāla devotee—silent, hands folded—stands steady in right conduct, while a faint aura of sacred thread-like light appears around him, symbolizing recognized brāhmaṇatva.","primary_figures":["Śrī Bhagavān (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa as speaker)","a mute caṇḍāla devotee","deva-gaṇa (celestial witnesses)"],"setting":"a liminal sacred court—half earthly, half celestial—suggesting the ‘three worlds’ as backdrop","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","ivory white","lotus pink","smoky violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu seated with gold-leaf halo and ornate crown, right hand in abhaya; below, a humble mute devotee in simple cloth stands with folded hands, a subtle luminous yajnopavita-like aura; devas in the upper register; rich reds/greens, heavy jewelry, embossed gold detailing on halos and ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene Viṣṇu under a flowering tree with soft celestial glow; the devotee stands quietly, eyes lowered; delicate devas in the sky; cool blues and gentle pinks, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism and thin brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal Viṣṇu with bold outlines and large expressive eyes; the devotee rendered with dignified simplicity; devas arranged symmetrically; red-yellow-green palette with stylized lotus border and temple-wall texture.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Viṣṇu with lotus motifs and ornate floral borders; the devotee at the lower center amid patterned lotuses; peacocks and cows at the sides as auspicious symbols; deep blue ground with gold highlights and intricate ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft conch drone","temple bells","gentle tanpura","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रीभगवानुवाच = श्रीभगवान् + उवाच; जगत्त्रये = जगत् + त्रये; योपि = यः + अपि; चाण्डालस्तम् = चाण्डालः + तम्.
FAQs
By conduct: it states that one established in vṛtta (right conduct) and devoted to good works is recognized as a brāhmaṇa, even if born as a caṇḍāla.
Moral worth and spiritual dignity are measured by character and beneficial action (kalyāṇa), not by external status or social label.
The verse emphasizes a higher, divine معيار of evaluation: the gods acknowledge inner virtue and righteous living as the true mark of nobility.