Shloka 24
Womb-Suffering and the Path to Liberation
Dialogue of Wisdom, Meditation, and Discernment
सूत उवाच । एवं मूढो यदात्मासौ कामक्रोधवशंगतः । लोभरागादिभिः सर्वैर्व्यापृतस्तैर्दुरात्मभिः
sūta uvāca | evaṃ mūḍho yadātmāsau kāmakrodhavaśaṃgataḥ | lobharāgādibhiḥ sarvairvyāpṛtastairdurātmabhiḥ
Sūta dit : Ainsi, lorsque l’homme s’égare et tombe sous l’emprise du désir et de la colère, il est tout entier accaparé par ces penchants mauvais : l’avidité, l’attachement et le reste.
Sūta
Concept: When the mind submits to kāma and krodha, the whole personality becomes occupied by ‘durātmā’ tendencies—lobha, rāga, etc.—crowding out dharma and devotion.
Application: Name the inner enemies (kāma, krodha, lobha, moha) as they arise; replace with a concrete bhakti act: one round of japa, offering water to Tulasi, or a brief stotra before reacting.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sūta sits on a raised vyāsāsana in a forest hermitage, addressing attentive sages; as he speaks, translucent specters of kāma and krodha hover near a human figure, while lobha and rāga appear as grasping shadows pulling the figure’s attention in multiple directions. The sages’ calm faces contrast with the turbulent aura around the deluded person, making the teaching visually immediate.","primary_figures":["Sūta","Assembly of Ṛṣis","A symbolic human figure (the deluded person)","Personifications of Kāma, Krodha, Lobha, Rāga"],"setting":"Naimiṣāraṇya-style forest āśrama with sacrificial fire and palm-leaf manuscripts","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a stern, clarifying glow","color_palette":["forest green","sandalwood beige","vermillion","charcoal black","sunlit gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Sūta on an ornate seat with gold leaf halo, sages in symmetrical rows, a small inset vignette showing the deluded man surrounded by personified vices; rich reds/greens, embossed gold borders, jewel-like detailing on ornaments and manuscripts.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate forest discourse scene with delicate faces and fine textiles; subtle smoky forms representing vices swirl around a lone figure at the edge; cool greens and browns, lyrical trees, refined linework and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Sūta and sages rendered with bold outlines; vices as stylized dark-red/black forms with exaggerated eyes; sacred fire central; flat pigments and temple-wall composition emphasizing didactic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional teaching tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; sages seated like a kīrtan assembly; the vices depicted as decorative yet ominous motifs in the border trying to intrude, while the central space remains pure and ordered with gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling sacrificial fire","soft rustle of leaves","occasional bell","tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यदा + आत्मा + असौ → यदात्मासौ; कामक्रोध + वशं + गतः → कामक्रोधवशंगतः (अनुस्वार/सन्धि); सर्वैः + व्यापृतः → सर्वैर्व्यापृतः (विसर्ग-सन्धि); व्यापृतः + तैः → व्यापृतस्तैः (विसर्ग-सन्धि); तैः + दुरात्मभिः → तैर्दुरात्मभिः (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
FAQs
It teaches that delusion arises when one becomes dominated by desire and anger, after which other vices like greed and attachment take over the person’s attention and conduct.
The speaker is Sūta, a traditional narrator in Purāṇic discourse; his role frames the verse as part of an instructive narration meant to convey dharma and ethical insight.
The verse advises vigilance over desire and anger, since they open the door to further harmful tendencies (greed, attachment, etc.), leading to moral and spiritual decline.