Shloka 18
The Deception of Vṛtra
सख्यं कर्तुं प्रयच्छेत्स क्रियतां दैत्यसत्तम । ऋषयः सप्ततत्त्वज्ञा ऊचुर्वृत्रं महाबलम्
sakhyaṃ kartuṃ prayacchetsa kriyatāṃ daityasattama | ṛṣayaḥ saptatattvajñā ūcurvṛtraṃ mahābalam
「友誼を捧げよ——それを成し遂げよ、ダイティヤの最勝者よ。」真理を知る七人のリシは、大力のヴリトラにこう告げた。
The seven sages (ṛṣayaḥ sapta-tattvajñāḥ)
Concept: Maitrī (friendship) is proposed as a dharmic alternative to cyclical vengeance, even between cosmic rivals.
Application: Seek principled reconciliation before escalation; let wise counsel mediate conflicts and propose fair terms.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Seven luminous sages stand in a calm semicircle before the towering Vṛtra, whose martial form is softened by attentive stillness. Their hands are raised in a gesture of peace, offering friendship as the battlefield haze recedes into a quiet, ethical pause.","primary_figures":["Saptaṛṣi (seven sages)","Vṛtra"],"setting":"A liminal battlefield-plain at the edge of a celestial forest, with broken chariots distant and a tranquil clearing around the sages.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["smoke gray","saffron ochre","sage green","ivory white","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Saptaṛṣi with radiant halos and gold-leaf aureoles offering a peace-gesture to a majestic Vṛtra; ornate crowns and gem-studded ornaments on the sages’ staffs and kamandalu; rich vermilion and emerald textiles; gold leaf embellishment highlighting sacred thread, halos, and the calm clearing amid distant battle motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing seven ascetics in white and pale saffron seated/standing in a lyrical forest clearing; Vṛtra rendered as a powerful yet contemplative warrior-figure; cool greens and blues, refined faces, subtle mist over distant chariots, Himalayan-like slopes faintly suggested for poetic distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments; Saptaṛṣi with large expressive eyes and stylized beards, Vṛtra towering at right; red-yellow-green palette with rhythmic cloud bands; temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing dharmic dialogue over violence.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central peace-circle of sages with lotus motifs and floral borders; peacocks perched on stylized trees; deep blue background with gold accents; Vṛtra at the edge framed by vines, suggesting transformation from hostility to harmony."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","wind through trees","distant conch shell","brief silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: IAST ‘prayacchetsa’ resolved as ‘prayacchet saḥ’. ‘ūcurvṛtraṃ’ resolved as ‘ūcuḥ vṛtram’.
FAQs
The speakers are the seven sages (tattva-knowers), and they address Vṛtra, described as mighty, calling him “best among the Daityas.”
The verse promotes reconciliation and friendship even amid conflict, suggesting diplomacy and goodwill as a dharmic approach.
“Tattvajñāḥ” indicates they are knowers of fundamental truths/principles, lending philosophical and moral weight to their counsel.