Shloka 18
The Origin of the Lauhitya River
and the King of Tīrthas
यमाश्रित्य नरो याति ब्रह्मलोकमनामयम् । द्विज उवाच । कथं च ब्रह्मणो मोहो ह्यमोघा का वरांगना
yamāśritya naro yāti brahmalokamanāmayam | dvija uvāca | kathaṃ ca brahmaṇo moho hyamoghā kā varāṃganā
यम का आश्रय लेकर मनुष्य निरामय ब्रह्मलोक को प्राप्त होता है। द्विज ने कहा—“ब्रह्मा को मोह कैसे हुआ? और वह अमोघा श्रेष्ठ स्त्री कौन है?”
Dvija (a brāhmaṇa narrator/questioner) — dialogue marker “dvija uvāca”
Concept: Higher lokas (like Brahmaloka) are attainable through prescribed supports, yet delusion can still arise—hence the need to understand causes and adopt purifying means.
Application: Ask precise questions about the roots of one’s confusion; seek trustworthy narration (śāstra-kathā) to replace speculation with understanding.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned dvija, seated on kusa grass, raises his hands in respectful inquiry, his eyes fixed on the storyteller. Behind him, a faint vision of Brahmaloka appears—radiant, stainless, and serene—while the question hangs: how could moha touch Brahmā, and who is the ‘Amoghā’ woman?","primary_figures":["Dvija questioner","storyteller/narrator figure (sage or divine speaker implied)","visionary Brahmaloka (symbolic)"],"setting":"Hermitage assembly with palm-leaf manuscripts, sacrificial fire, and a subtle celestial vista in the background.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ochre","smoky amber","ivory","lapis blue","copper"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dvija in white with sacred thread, hands in añjali; narrator on a raised seat; a gold-leaf aura depicting Brahmaloka in the upper panel; rich maroon-green borders, ornate lamps, gem-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage scene with delicate firelight, refined facial expressions of curiosity; a translucent celestial realm painted like a cloud-vision; cool blues with warm lamp glow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dvija and teacher in frontal composition, stylized yajña-kuṇḍa flames; Brahmaloka as a circular mandala-like vignette above; red/yellow/green pigments with strong contrast.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Q&A vignette framed by lotus borders; hanging lamps and floral garlands; deep indigo background with gold script-like ornamentation; devotional symmetry emphasizing śravaṇa (hearing)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling sacrificial fire","soft bell punctuations","page-turn of palm leaves","night insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यमाश्रित्य = यम् + आश्रित्य (म् + आ → मा). ह्यमोघा = हि + अमोघा (इ + अ → य).
FAQs
It states that by taking refuge in (or aligning with) Yama—understood as the cosmic regulator of death and dharma—one attains Brahmaloka, described as a realm free from affliction.
The speaker is identified by the phrase “dvija uvāca” (“the brāhmaṇa said”), indicating a question-and-answer narrative structure typical of Purāṇic instruction.
The verse links posthumous destiny with dharma (personified by Yama) and raises a theological inquiry about how even Brahmā can be subject to moha (delusion), setting up a teaching on cosmic order and the limits of embodied or role-based knowledge.