Shloka 31
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
कुलद्वयं समा नारी समयित्वा तु तिष्ठति । साध्वी तारयते वंशान्दुष्टा पातयति ध्रुवम्
kuladvayaṃ samā nārī samayitvā tu tiṣṭhati | sādhvī tārayate vaṃśānduṣṭā pātayati dhruvam
Une fois entrée dans le lien du mariage, la femme se tient comme l’égale des deux familles, celle de naissance et celle d’alliance. La femme vertueuse sauve et élève les lignées; la femme corrompue les fait assurément choir.
Unspecified narrator (context not provided in the input excerpt; likely within a Purāṇic dialogue frame)
Concept: A wife becomes a pivotal bridge between natal and marital lineages; virtue uplifts both, corruption harms both.
Application: Treat marriage as a shared dharmic responsibility; cultivate integrity, truthfulness, and mutual respect to benefit extended families.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic bridge scene: a woman stands at the center of a decorated archway connecting two ancestral houses, each marked with family emblems and sacred fires. On one side, her virtue is shown as a stream of light lifting both households; on the other, a shadowy reflection hints at downfall when dharma is broken.","primary_figures":["A sādhvī wife (archetype)","Two sets of elders representing both lineages","Household sacred fire (agni) as symbol"],"setting":"Twin courtyards linked by a ceremonial gateway; visible gṛhya fire altars, garlands, and family shrines.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green","sunlit gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sādhvī figure under a gold-leaf arch connecting two ornate households; symmetrical elders on both sides, glowing agni-kundas, rich brocades; gold halos and embossed floral patterns emphasizing her dharmic radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant gateway between two homes with delicate architectural detail; soft light around the central figure, elders seated with calm expressions; subtle contrast of light and shadow to suggest uplift vs downfall.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined central figure with stylized eyes, twin household panels left and right, agni rendered as patterned flame motifs; strong red-yellow-green palette with black contouring, temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central medallion of the wife as ‘kula-setu’ (bridge), surrounded by lotus borders; side vignettes show two households with lamps and cows; deep blue ground with gold floral filigree and Vaishnava auspicious symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft tanpura","temple lamp crackle","distant birds","gentle bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaṃśānduṣṭā = vaṃśān + duṣṭā.
FAQs
It presents the married woman as belonging equally to her natal and marital families, implying her actions and character affect both lineages.
It frames personal virtue as socially consequential: a sādhvī supports, protects, and elevates family continuity, while unethical conduct damages reputation, harmony, and stability.
This specific verse is primarily a dharma/ethical aphorism about family and virtue; it is not directly about tirtha geography, bhakti practice, or cosmological creation.