Shloka 15
The Establishment of Vāmana at Kānyakubja and the Sanctification of Setu
देवकार्ये धरायां वा स्वकार्ये वा नरोत्तम । एवं ब्रुवंतं भरतं ध्यायमानमवस्थितम्
devakārye dharāyāṃ vā svakārye vā narottama | evaṃ bruvaṃtaṃ bharataṃ dhyāyamānamavasthitam
«មិនថាក្នុងកិច្ចបម្រើទេវតាលើផែនដី ឬក្នុងកាតព្វកិច្ចរបស់ខ្លួនឯងទេ ឱ បុរសប្រសើរ»—បារ័តបាននិយាយដូច្នេះ ហើយឈរនៅក្នុងសមាធិ។
Unclear from single-verse excerpt (Bharata is the one described as speaking)
Concept: Whether serving a higher cause (deva-kārya) or fulfilling one’s own rightful duty (sva-kārya), steadiness and contemplation should guide action.
Application: Do your role—public or private—with the same integrity; pause to reflect so action is not impulsive.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bharata stands speaking with composed intensity, while Rāma remains absorbed in contemplation—still as a lamp-flame in a windless shrine. The composition emphasizes two modes of dharma: spoken exhortation and silent discernment, both converging on service and rightful action upon the earth.","primary_figures":["Bharata","Rāma"],"setting":"A quiet camp or hermitage threshold with a visible earth-path, a staff or bow set aside, and attendants blurred in the background to keep focus on counsel.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with soft midday light","color_palette":["olive green","sandstone beige","deep blue","copper","soft white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Bharata addressing contemplative Rāma, both with gold halos; ornate frame with gold leaf, rich maroon and green borders; subtle gold detailing on garments and ornaments; background stylized as a sacred grove, emphasizing dharma-counsel through symmetrical iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle forest scene with dappled light; Bharata mid-speech, Rāma seated in thought; delicate brushwork on textiles and foliage; muted earth tones with deep blue accents, refined expressions conveying calm duty.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Bharata’s speaking gesture and Rāma’s meditative stillness; patterned foliage and simplified camp elements; strong red/yellow/green palette with rhythmic decorative motifs, temple-wall narrative emphasis on dharma.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: two-figure dharma dialogue framed by lotus and floral borders; symbolic earth motifs (stylized ground patterns) to stress ‘dharā’; deep blues and gold highlights; peacocks and vines in margins, devotional textile aesthetic focusing on steadiness and service."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","rustling leaves","soft bell","measured silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लक्ष्य-सन्धिः: ध्यायमानमवस्थितम् = ध्यायमानम् + अवस्थितम् (म् + अ → म्-अ, लेखने संधि-लोपः).
FAQs
It highlights steadfastness in duty—whether performing service for divine purposes (devakārya) or fulfilling one’s own rightful responsibilities (svakārya)—paired with an inner attitude of contemplation.
No. This verse is ethical and psychological in tone, focusing on duty and contemplative steadiness rather than a location or pilgrimage site.
The verse explicitly mentions Bharata as the one speaking, but identifying who he addresses (and the broader dialogue frame) requires adjacent verses from Adhyāya 38.