Shloka 42
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
गतेषु तेषु सर्वेषु सुकला सा पतिव्रता । स्वगृहं पुण्यसंयुक्ता पतिध्यानेन चागता
gateṣu teṣu sarveṣu sukalā sā pativratā | svagṛhaṃ puṇyasaṃyuktā patidhyānena cāgatā
ເມື່ອເຂົາທັງໝົດໄປແລ້ວ ສຸກະລາ ນາງຜູ້ເປັນປະຕິວຣະຕາ ກໍກັບໄປສູ່ເຮືອນຂອງນາງ ພ້ອມດ້ວຍບຸນກຸສົນ ແລະມາດ້ວຍໃຈຈົ່ງຈໍ່ໃນການພິຈາລະນາຖຶງຜົວ
Narrator (contextual voice of the Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue pair not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Patidhyāna (single-minded remembrance of the husband) is presented as a meditative discipline generating puṇya; devotion transforms ordinary return into a sacred act.
Application: Bring mindfulness into daily routines; let remembrance of one’s chosen ideal (dharma, deity, spouse, duty) steady the mind after conflict or temptation.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sukalā walks back into her courtyard with quiet composure, her eyes lowered in inward remembrance, as if her mind is a lamp sheltered from wind. The home appears subtly luminous—clean thresholds, calm air, and a sense that merit itself has settled like fragrance, while she remains absorbed in meditation on her husband.","primary_figures":["Sukalā","(optional) symbolic presence of her husband as a faint silhouette in her heart-space"],"setting":"A serene household courtyard with a small shrine niche, water pot near the entrance, and a swept floor; the world outside recedes, emphasizing interiority.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm ochre","lotus pink","soft white","leaf green","muted gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Sukalā entering a richly ornamented yet modest home threshold, a small shrine lamp glowing; gold leaf used to suggest ‘puṇya’ radiance around the doorway and her halo; deep reds and greens in textiles, embossed patterns on pillars, traditional South Indian domestic iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle domestic scene with delicate architecture and a quiet courtyard; Sukalā’s face serene, eyes half-lidded; pale dawn sky, soft shadows; minimalism conveying meditation and inwardness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Sukalā in frontal stance with characteristic large eyes softened into calm; bold outlines, earthy pigments; a small lamp and shrine niche behind; radiance indicated by concentric yellow fields around her figure.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: courtyard framed by floral borders and lotus motifs; Sukalā centered like a devotional figure; lamp and tulasi pot as decorative elements; deep blue or maroon ground with gold highlights to convey sanctity of the home."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","morning birds","footsteps on stone","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चागता → च + आगता; स्वगृहं is a compound (स्व-गृहम्).
FAQs
It portrays Sukalā as a pativratā whose inner orientation is steadfast remembrance of her husband; her virtue is presented as a source of puṇya (spiritual merit) even in ordinary acts like returning home.
Through the phrase patidhyānena—“by meditation on her husband”—it highlights smaraṇa (remembrance/mental absorption) as a sustaining practice that shapes character and generates merit.
The verse suggests that integrity and focused remembrance (constancy of mind) can sanctify daily life, linking domestic duty with inward discipline.