Shloka 158
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
एवमुक्तास्तदा तेन देवास्तं मुनिमब्रुवन् । इच्छाम एकं वरमद्भुतं वयं पिबार्णवं देवमुने महात्मन्
evamuktāstadā tena devāstaṃ munimabruvan | icchāma ekaṃ varamadbhutaṃ vayaṃ pibārṇavaṃ devamune mahātman
उनके ऐसा कहने पर देवताओं ने उस ऋषि से कहा— “हे देवमुनि, हे महात्मन्! हम एक अद्भुत वर चाहते हैं— आप समुद्र को पी जाएँ।”
The gods (Devāḥ)
Concept: Extraordinary problems sometimes require extraordinary, dharma-aligned interventions; the devas rely on tapas rather than mere force.
Application: When confronting ‘oceanic’ overwhelm, seek a disciplined, principled method; ask for help from those with steadiness and capacity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The devas, palms joined, plead before the sage with urgent reverence, while behind them the immense ocean is suggested as a dark, heaving horizon. The request hangs in the air like thunder held back—‘Drink the ocean’—a miracle demanded for the sake of cosmic safety.","primary_figures":["group of devas","Maitreya-Varuṇi"],"setting":"Hermitage near a coastline or a visionary backdrop where the ocean appears as a symbolic vastness behind the devas","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","sea green","silver white","amber gold","storm gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: devas with gold-leaf halos and ornate crowns kneel with añjali; the sage sits centered with commanding calm; the ocean rendered as stylized waves with silver-blue highlights, gold-leaf accents on halos and borders, rich reds/greens in garments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical night scene with a distant ocean band, delicate wave patterns, devas in soft jewel tones; the sage’s face serene, the request conveyed through expressive hand gestures and spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic wave motifs behind the figures, devas in rhythmic formation; strong red/yellow/green palette with deep blue sea, sacred intensity without chaos.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotuses and wave motifs; central scene of devas petitioning the sage, ocean stylized as patterned bands; deep blues and gold, symmetrical devotional composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["conch shell","ocean surf","low drum","wind swell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: एवमुक्तास्तदा = एवम् + उक्ताः + तदा; देवास्तं = देवाः + तम्; मुनिमब्रुवन् = मुनिम् + अब्रुवन्; वरमद्भुतं = वरम् + अद्भुतम्; पिबार्णवं = पिब + अर्णवम्
FAQs
The speakers are the gods (devāḥ), addressing a sage (muni), respectfully calling him “deva-muni” and “mahātman.”
They ask for a single “wondrous boon”: that the sage drink up the ocean (arṇava).
The verse highlights divine dependence on ascetic power: even gods seek extraordinary solutions through a spiritually potent sage, implying that tapas (austerity) and inner power can surpass ordinary cosmic obstacles.