Shloka 16
Vena’s Fall into Adharma and the Prelude to Pṛthu’s Birth
ऋषय ऊचुः । मा वेन साहसं कार्षीःप्रजापालो भवानिह । त्वया सर्वमिदं लोकं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | mā vena sāhasaṃ kārṣīḥprajāpālo bhavāniha | tvayā sarvamidaṃ lokaṃ trailokyaṃ sacarācaram
ຣິສີທັງຫຼາຍກ່າວວ່າ: “ໂອ ເວນະ ຢ່າເຮັດການຫຸນຫັນກ້າຫານ; ທີ່ນີ້ເຈົ້າແມ່ນຜູ້ພິທັກປະຊາ. ໂດຍເຈົ້າ ໂລກທັງປວງ—ໄຕໂລກ ພ້ອມທັງສິ່ງທີ່ເຄື່ອນໄຫວແລະບໍ່ເຄື່ອນໄຫວ—ພຶງຖືກປົກປ້ອງ”
The sages (ṛṣayaḥ)
Concept: A ruler must avoid rashness; prajā-pālana is a sacred trust whose effects ripple through all realms.
Application: Before acting in anger or pride, remember who depends on your choices—family, team, community; choose restraint and protection over impulse.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The seven sages raise their palms in a gesture of ‘stop’ as they address Vena, their faces stern yet compassionate. Behind them, a faint cosmic overlay shows the three worlds—heaven, earth, and nether—suggesting that the king’s choices tug at the fabric of all beings, moving and unmoving.","primary_figures":["seven ṛṣis","King Vena"],"setting":"royal assembly with a subtle visionary backdrop of triloka (layered clouds, earth disk, subterranean glow)","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["celestial white","saffron ochre","lapis blue","smoldering copper","pearl grey"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sages with gold-leaf halos admonish Vena; behind them a stylized triloka rendered with gold leaf and jewel tones, ornate throne and pillars, rich reds/greens, sacred authority emphasized through symmetrical composition and embossed gold detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate triloka vignette behind the court scene, cool blues and soft greys, sages’ gestures finely drawn, Vena’s proud posture contrasted with their calm firmness, lyrical clouds and layered horizons.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines show sages in commanding mudrā, Vena seated rigidly, triloka suggested by stacked bands of color, strong reds/yellows/greens with black contouring, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: sages and Vena framed by lotus borders; triloka hinted through concentric floral-cosmic patterns, deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks and stylized clouds in margins, devotional narrative emphasis."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single bell strike","low drone (tanpura)","hushed court ambience","wind-like breath between admonitory phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऋषय ऊचुः = ऋषयः + ऊचुः; कार्षीःप्रजापालो = कार्षीः + प्रजापालः; भवानिह = भवान् + इह
FAQs
The sages warn Vena not to act impulsively and remind him that his primary duty is prajā-pālana—protecting and sustaining his subjects across the entire realm.
It emphasizes the ruler’s cosmic-scale responsibility: the welfare of all beings in the three worlds, both mobile (living creatures) and immobile (plants, mountains, etc.), is tied to righteous governance.
Authority must be guided by restraint and dharma; rash decisions by leaders endanger not only citizens but the broader moral and social order the king is meant to uphold.