Shloka 13
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
स्वयं तु मुनिशार्दूल निरयं चातिदारुणम् । उद्धारं कोटिपुरुषैर्मृतो याति न संशयः
svayaṃ tu muniśārdūla nirayaṃ cātidāruṇam | uddhāraṃ koṭipuruṣairmṛto yāti na saṃśayaḥ
Namun ia sendiri, wahai harimau di antara para muni, jatuh ke neraka yang amat mengerikan; dan sesudah mati, pembebasannya hanya tercapai melalui upaya berjuta-juta manusia—tanpa keraguan.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Brahma-khaṇḍa dialogue)
Concept: Breach of pledged word leads to dreadful hell; liberation from that fate is extremely difficult, requiring vast intercession.
Application: Avoid casual oaths; if wrongdoing occurs, immediately seek correction—fulfill the promise, perform expiation, and adopt disciplined truthfulness to prevent severe karmic descent.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast, cavernous naraka opens beneath a fractured earth, with iron-red cliffs and rivers of smoke; the pledge-breaker falls downward as shadowy wardens of Yama stand like pillars of judgment. Far above, a tiny glimmer of rescue appears as countless human figures form a chain of uplift—suggesting ‘koṭi-puruṣa’ effort required for deliverance.","primary_figures":["the condemned pledge-breaker","Yama’s attendants (yamadūtas)","a distant compassionate assembly of rescuers (koṭi-puruṣa motif)","a sage addressed as ‘muniśārdūla’ (as listener figure)"],"setting":"Purāṇic hellscape with jagged rocks, smoky chasms, and a distant upper-world aperture.","lighting_mood":"ominous underglow with harsh contrasts","color_palette":["iron red","charcoal black","sulfur yellow","ashen gray","faint celestial white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic naraka tableau framed by ornate gold borders; yamadūtas with stylized weapons, the falling figure centered; gold leaf used sparingly as a distant upper-world halo of possible rescue; rich reds/blacks, high-contrast devotional moralism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative hellscape rendered with controlled detail—craggy forms, swirling smoke patterns, expressive fear; a small luminous opening above with tiny rescuers; cool-to-warm gradient palette, fine brushwork, restrained horror.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense red-black ground, stylized yamadūtas, exaggerated eyes conveying dread; rhythmic flames and smoke motifs; temple-wall didactic composition with clear figure hierarchy.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical rather than graphic—dark lotus petals curling downward into a chasm, central figure descending; border of withered floral motifs contrasted with a small ring of bright lotuses above symbolizing rescue; deep blues and blacks with gold highlights."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder-like drum","conch blast","metallic clang","sudden silence at end"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cātidāruṇam → ca + ati-dāruṇam; koṭipuruṣairmṛto → koṭi-puruṣaiḥ + mṛtaḥ.
FAQs
It stresses the severity of certain actions: the doer falls into a dreadful hell, and release afterward is portrayed as extremely difficult—requiring vast collective effort.
“Muniśārdūla” is an honorific meaning “tiger among sages,” used to address an eminent sage and to emphasize the seriousness of the instruction.
Actions have weighty consequences; one should avoid grave wrongdoing because remediation and liberation may be depicted as extraordinarily hard after death.