Shloka 93
स्वंस्वं राजन्न संदेहस्त्वया वै प्रियया सह । राजोवाच । कियत्कालं प्रभोक्तव्यं मयैवं प्रियया सह
svaṃsvaṃ rājanna saṃdehastvayā vai priyayā saha | rājovāca | kiyatkālaṃ prabhoktavyaṃ mayaivaṃ priyayā saha
Wahai Raja, hendaklah tiap orang teguh tanpa ragu pada tekadnya—terlebih engkau bersama kekasihmu. Sang Raja berkata: “Wahai Prabhu, sampai berapa lama aku harus menikmati hidup begini bersama kekasihku?”
Narrator/Teacher addressing the king; then the King (rājā) speaks
Concept: Personal resolve (niścaya) shapes destiny; even love and enjoyment must be governed by discernment and right instruction.
Application: Before pursuing pleasure or major life choices, clarify intention, seek wise counsel, and ask ‘for how long and at what cost?’—a prompt toward vairāgya and disciplined living.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal chamber where a teacher addresses a contemplative king seated beside his beloved queen. The king’s gaze is tender yet troubled, as if sensing a hidden doom behind pleasure; the teacher’s hand is raised in calm instruction, hinting at a moral precipice.","primary_figures":["king (rājā)","queen (priyā)","sage/teacher (ācārya)"],"setting":"palace audience hall with carved pillars, lotus motifs, and a low lamp-lit dais; attendants kept distant to preserve the intimacy of counsel","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","lotus pink","indigo shadow","ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a palace sabhā with the king and queen seated on a jeweled throne, the guru-like teacher standing with a blessing gesture; heavy gold leaf on crowns, archways, and lotus borders; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography, subtle tension in facial expressions.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate court scene with delicate brushwork; the king leans toward the teacher while the queen sits slightly behind, eyes lowered; cool palette with indigo and rose, fine textiles, floral carpets, and a distant terrace garden under a pale sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red-yellow-green pigments; the teacher’s serene face contrasts with the king’s questioning eyes; lotus and conch motifs on pillars; stylized jewelry and large expressive eyes, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a symbolic court framed by lotus vines and ornate borders; subtle inclusion of a small Vāsudeva emblem above the teacher, suggesting divine oversight; deep blues and gold, intricate floral patterns, peacocks at the margins to heighten the shringara mood with an undercurrent of foreboding."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low drone (tanpura)","distant palace hush","oil-lamp crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: saṃdehastvayā = saṃdehaḥ + tvayā; rājovāca = rājā + uvāca; mayaivaṃ = mayā + evam.
FAQs
It frames a counsel to be free from doubt and steady in one’s chosen course, followed by the king’s question about the duration of worldly enjoyment with his beloved.
It does not directly command either; it presents a context where enjoyment is acknowledged, while the king’s question hints at seeking guidance about its proper limits and timing.
Clarity and decisiveness (freedom from doubt) are treated as virtues in living one’s dharma, and the king’s inquiry models humility—seeking higher guidance about how long to remain engaged in pleasurable life.