Shloka 74
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
किमुक्तश्च तया त्वं च वद तत्सांप्रतं मुने । विप्र उवाच । प्रष्टुं धर्मतुलाधारं सा च मां समुपादिशत्
kimuktaśca tayā tvaṃ ca vada tatsāṃprataṃ mune | vipra uvāca | praṣṭuṃ dharmatulādhāraṃ sā ca māṃ samupādiśat
«Dime ahora, oh sabio: ¿qué te dijo ella y qué respondiste tú?» El brāhmaṇa dijo: «Ella me indicó que fuera a preguntar al mismo sostén de la balanza del Dharma».
Vipra (Brāhmaṇa narrator)
Concept: True instruction directs the seeker to the very foundation that weighs and upholds dharma—implying that dharma is measurable by a higher standard than opinion.
Application: When confused about right action, seek a principled authority (scripture, realized teacher, or conscience aligned with dharma) rather than social rumor.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa recounts, with folded hands and earnest eyes, how the virtuous woman directed him toward the ‘support of Dharma’s balance.’ The scene feels like the beginning of a pilgrimage of conscience—an invisible scale hovering in symbolism, weighing truth against pretense.","primary_figures":["Brāhmaṇa narrator","Sage (muni) being addressed","Sādhvī/pativratā woman (as remembered/indicated)"],"setting":"Hermitage interior with palm-leaf manuscripts and a small altar; in the background, a symbolic balance scale and a faint lotus motif suggest cosmic dharma.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp-flame amber","deep maroon","palm-leaf tan","midnight blue","sage green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: brāhmaṇa narrating to a seated muni; gold leaf highlights on a symbolic dharma-balance and halo accents, rich reds and greens, ornate pillars and arch frame, traditional iconography with a subtle lotus emblem indicating Vishnu-grounded dharma.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet hermitage teaching scene; the brāhmaṇa speaks respectfully to the sage, with a delicate symbolic balance drawn in the margin-like space; cool, refined palette, fine textiles, gentle facial expressions, lyrical stillness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, warm pigments; sage seated in teaching posture, brāhmaṇa in añjali; stylized lamp and manuscript props, a prominent balance symbol integrated into the mural patterning, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative framed by lotus and floral borders; central sage and brāhmaṇa with a decorative dharma-scale motif above, deep blue background with gold ornament, peacocks and vines, devotional storytelling aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["oil lamp crackle","soft bell","page rustle (palm leaves)","night insects faint"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: किमुक्तश्च = किम् + उक्तः + च; तत्सांप्रतं = तत् + साम्प्रतम्; विप्र उवाच = विप्रः + उवाच; धर्मतुलाधारं = धर्मतुलाधारम्.
FAQs
The verse explicitly marks the speaker as the “vipra” (a brāhmaṇa), indicating a narrated reply within an ongoing dialogue.
It literally means “the support/base of Dharma’s balance,” i.e., the authority or upholder associated with weighing and judging Dharma—someone to be approached for a decisive clarification about righteousness.
It emphasizes disciplined inquiry: when faced with uncertainty, one should seek guidance from an authoritative foundation of Dharma rather than relying on guesswork or impulse.