Shloka 14
The Account of Sunīthā
within the Vena Narrative
पापकर्तुश्च यत्पापं निर्दोषं प्रति गच्छति । ताडनं नैव तस्माद्वै कार्यं दोषवतोऽपि च
pāpakartuśca yatpāpaṃ nirdoṣaṃ prati gacchati | tāḍanaṃ naiva tasmādvai kāryaṃ doṣavato'pi ca
ເນື່ອງຈາກບາບຂອງຜູ້ກະທຳຜິດອາດຕົກມາຖືກຜູ້ບໍ່ມີຜິດ ດັ່ງນັ້ນບໍ່ຄວນລົງໂທດດ້ວຍການຕີ—ແມ່ນແຕ່ຕໍ່ຜູ້ທີ່ເບິ່ງຄືວ່າມີຜິດກໍຕາມ।
Unspecified (context not provided; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma instructional dialogue typical of the Padma Purāṇa)
Concept: Punishment or violence that harms the blameless rebounds as sin upon the agent; therefore restraint and careful discernment are required even when someone seems culpable.
Application: Before blaming, shaming, or penalizing others, verify facts, consider collateral harm, and choose corrective measures that do not injure innocents; cultivate non-reactivity in conflict.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A calm court of dharma: a sage-judge raises a hand in restraint as an agitated guard pauses mid-strike, while a blameless figure stands protected under a subtle aura of Viṣṇu’s conch-and-disc symbolism. The atmosphere emphasizes discernment—punishment withheld to prevent sin from touching the innocent.","primary_figures":["dharma-upadeśaka ṛṣi","a repentant accused person","a blameless bystander","symbolic presence of Vishnu (aura with śaṅkha-cakra)"],"setting":"A simple hermitage-court near a sacred banyan, with palm-leaf manuscripts and a water-pot (kamaṇḍalu) indicating śāstra-guided judgment.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","saffron ochre","conch white","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene sage seated on a low throne beneath a banyan, right palm raised in abhaya and restraint, a guard lowering a staff, an innocent figure sheltered; Vishnu’s śaṅkha-cakra halo motif behind the sage, gold leaf embellishment on ornaments and halo, rich reds and greens, gem-studded details, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet woodland court with delicate brushwork, the sage’s calm gesture stopping punishment, refined faces showing compassion and hesitation, cool greens and soft browns, distant blue hills, lyrical naturalism with fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the sage’s large expressive eyes conveying dayā, simplified court scene with a lowered staff, Vishnu’s symbolic aura in the background, natural pigment palette dominated by red/yellow/green, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a moral tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, subtle śaṅkha-cakra emblems above, attendants and figures arranged like a devotional narrative panel, deep blues and gold accents, ornamental vines and peacocks at the margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["silence","soft temple bells","rustling leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पापकर्तुश्च → पापकर्तुः च; यत्पापं → यत् पापम्; तस्माद्वै → तस्मात् वै; दोषवतोऽपि → दोषवतः अपि
FAQs
It warns that harming or punishing in a way that impacts the innocent is itself morally dangerous, and urges restraint in administering punishment.
Because wrongful or careless punishment can transfer the moral burden back onto the punisher—especially when an innocent person is harmed or implicated.
It supports careful investigation, due process, and proportional responses—prioritizing the protection of the innocent over hasty retribution.