Shloka 10
The Origin of the Maruts
Diti’s Penance and Indra’s Intervention
स तां प्रणम्य धर्मात्मा मातरं तपसान्विताम् । तयोक्तस्तु सहस्राक्षो भवान्को द्विजसत्तम
sa tāṃ praṇamya dharmātmā mātaraṃ tapasānvitām | tayoktastu sahasrākṣo bhavānko dvijasattama
Cet être à l’âme droite se prosterna devant sa mère, riche d’austérités. Alors Sahasrākṣa (Indra) lui dit : «Qui es-tu, ô meilleur des dvijas ?»
Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
Concept: Even amid uncertainty, proper conduct begins with pranāma and respectful inquiry.
Application: When meeting the unknown, combine courtesy with clear questions; let discernment be non-hostile.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene ascetic mother, radiant with tapas, receives a youthful brāhmaṇa visitor. He bows with folded hands, while Indra—watchful and questioning—asks the visitor’s identity, the air thick with both reverence and suspicion.","primary_figures":["Ascetic mother (tapasvinī)","Indra (Sahasrākṣa)","Youthful brāhmaṇa visitor (disguised figure)"],"setting":"Hermitage courtyard with a small yajña-vedi, hanging water pot, deer-skin seat, and quiet forest backdrop.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","sandalwood beige","leaf green","vermillion","soft sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra with regal bearing yet humble gesture, the brāhmaṇa visitor in simple white cloth bowing to the tapasvinī mother, gold leaf highlighting the mother’s ascetic radiance and the altar flames, rich reds and greens, ornate borders and traditional jewelry details.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage scene, delicate lines, cool morning light, Indra’s questioning posture contrasted with the visitor’s pranāma, refined facial expressions, lyrical trees and a small altar rendered with subtle detail.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized faces with large eyes, Indra’s authoritative gesture of inquiry, the tapasvinī mother seated in calm dignity, earthy reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall symmetry and decorative foliage bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: framed narrative panel with floral borders, the act of pranāma centered, peacocks and lotuses in the margins, deep blue background with gold highlights, devotional ambience despite narrative tension."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["morning birds","gentle fire crackle","soft bell chime","forest breeze"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सः ताम्; तपसा + अन्विताम् → तपसान्विताम्; तया + उक्तः → तयोक्तः; भवान् + कः → भवान्कः (भवान्को).
FAQs
“Sahasrākṣa” (“thousand-eyed”) is a well-known epithet of Indra, indicating his divine vigilance and authority; it identifies the speaker as Indra.
The verse underscores reverence to one’s mother and respect for ascetic discipline (tapas) as integral to dharma—humility and honoring spiritual merit within the family.
“Dvija” commonly refers to the initiated classes—especially brāhmaṇas—so “dvijasattama” is an honorific indicating high spiritual or social standing and frames the question as respectful inquiry.