Shloka 31
Yayāti’s Summons to Heaven and the Teaching on Old Age, the Five-Element Body, and Self–Body Discernment
सुकर्मोवाच । एवमाकर्ण्य देवेंद्रो नारदात्स मुनीश्वरात् । समालोच्य स मेधावी संभीतो धर्मपालनात्
sukarmovāca | evamākarṇya deveṃdro nāradātsa munīśvarāt | samālocya sa medhāvī saṃbhīto dharmapālanāt
Sukarmā dit : Ayant ainsi entendu ces paroles de Nārada, seigneur parmi les sages, Indra, roi des dieux, y réfléchit ; et le sage fut saisi de crainte quant à la garde du dharma.
Sukarmā
Concept: Hearing true counsel from a sage provokes self-examination; safeguarding dharma is a continual responsibility, and status (even Indra’s) is insecure without it.
Application: Treat wise feedback as a mirror; respond with reflection and reform rather than defensiveness; maintain ethical vigilance especially when in power.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In Amarāvatī’s jeweled hall, Indra sits uneasy on his throne, his hand tightening around the vajra as Nārada stands before him with vīṇā, eyes bright with uncompromising wisdom. The court’s splendor—pillars of crystal, garlands, and celestial attendants—contrasts with Indra’s inner tremor, as if the very air has turned into a moral reckoning. Indra’s face shows dawning fear: dharma must be guarded, or the throne itself will slip away.","primary_figures":["Sukarmā (as narrator within the verse)","Indra","Nārada","Celestial attendants (devas, gandharvas)"],"setting":"Amarāvatī’s celestial court with jeweled throne, vīṇā-bearing sage, attentive assembly","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["electric blue","silver white","amethyst purple","gold","cloud gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra on a gem-studded throne holding vajra, Nārada standing with vīṇā delivering counsel; heavy gold leaf on crowns and pillars, rich reds and greens in drapery, symmetrical court composition, expressive faces showing Indra’s fear and Nārada’s calm authority, ornate arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate brushwork; Indra’s anxious posture contrasted with Nārada’s composed stance; cool celestial palette, translucent clouds beyond palace balconies, refined facial expressions, lyrical detailing on jewelry and vīṇā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized eyes; Indra and Nārada in iconic poses, patterned palace backdrop, strong reds/yellows/greens with blue accents, decorative borders of lotus and creepers, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: celestial court framed by ornate floral borders; Nārada with vīṇā as central devotional figure, Indra slightly off-center with vajra; deep blue background with gold highlights, peacocks and lotus motifs, intricate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft vīṇā drone","distant thunder rumble","courtly chimes","sudden hush","conch shell held back (tension)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुकर्मोवाच = सुकर्मा + उवाच (आ + उ → ओ). एवमाकर्ण्य = एवम् + आकर्ण्य (म् + आ). नारदात्स = नारदात् + सः (त् + स → त्स).
FAQs
The verse depicts Indra realizing the gravity of upholding dharma; Nārada’s counsel prompts him to reflect, and that reflection produces apprehension about whether dharma is being properly protected.
Nārada appears as a munīśvara—an authoritative sage whose words guide rulers and gods; his instruction triggers Indra’s deliberation and ethical concern.
Power should be paired with self-scrutiny: even the king of the gods must pause, deliberate, and feel accountable for the preservation of dharma.