Shloka 25
The Sukalā Account in the Vena Episode: Krikala, Pilgrimage, and the Primacy of Wifely-Dharma
धर्मयुक्तां सतीं भार्यां त्यक्त्वा यासि नराधम । गृहं धर्मं परित्यज्य क्वास्ते धर्मस्य ते फलम्
dharmayuktāṃ satīṃ bhāryāṃ tyaktvā yāsi narādhama | gṛhaṃ dharmaṃ parityajya kvāste dharmasya te phalam
હે નરાધમ! ધર્મયુક્ત સતી પત્નીને ત્યજીને તું ચાલ્યો જાય છે. ઘર અને સ્વધર્મ પરિત્યજીને પછી તારા ધર્મનું ફળ ક્યાં રહેશે?
Unspecified (a reproaching speaker within the narrative; exact attribution not given in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Gṛhastha-dharma and fidelity to a virtuous spouse are not optional; abandoning them hollows out the very ‘phala’ one seeks from dharma.
Application: Honor commitments; treat spouse and home as a field of sacred responsibility; do not pursue ‘religious’ acts while violating foundational ethics.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stern elder-sage stands at the threshold of a modest household courtyard, finger raised in admonition, as a man turns away with a travel bundle. Behind them, a faithful wife in simple garments stands near a small domestic altar, her face composed yet wounded, the lamp flame steady as if witnessing dharma itself.","primary_figures":["reproaching sage/elder","wayward husband","virtuous wife (satī-bhāryā)"],"setting":"earthy village home courtyard with tulasi-vṛndāvana pedestal and a small gṛhya altar; threshold (dvāra) emphasized as moral boundary","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ochre earth","lamp-flame gold","indigo shadow","cotton white","vermilion accent"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-elder admonishing a departing man at a household threshold, the satī wife near a small altar and tulasi-vṛndāvana; gold leaf halo around the elder as embodiment of dharma, rich maroon and emerald borders, gem-studded ornaments on ritual vessels, traditional South Indian domestic shrine iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene with delicate linework—sage reproaches the husband, wife stands by a small lamp and tulasi pedestal; cool twilight blues and soft ochres, lyrical trees beyond the wall, refined faces showing restrained sorrow and moral gravity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and expressive eyes—elder in saffron gestures sharply, husband angled away, wife near the lamp and tulasi; flat temple-wall composition, red-yellow-green palette with black contours, stylized domestic shrine motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic household dharma tableau—tulasi-vṛndāvana central with floral borders, the wife near the lamp, the admonishing elder and departing man to either side; intricate lotus and vine patterns, deep indigo background with gold highlights, Nathdwara-like ornamental framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells (distant)","low drone (tanpura)","night insects","brief silence after the rebuke"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्व + अस्ते → क्वास्ते (स्वर-सन्धि).
FAQs
It condemns abandoning one’s faithful spouse and household responsibilities, asserting that renouncing one’s proper duty undermines the very “fruit” (phala) of dharma.
The verse treats the home and marital commitment as a legitimate arena of dharma; rejecting them without righteousness is portrayed as adharma rather than spiritual progress.
It refers to the moral and spiritual outcomes of righteous living—merit, integrity, and well-being—implying these cannot arise when one violates core duties like fidelity and responsibility.