Shloka 2
Description of the Demons’ Austerities
Why the Gods Won
विस्तरेणापि नो ब्रूहि तेषां वृत्तमनुत्तमम् । श्रोतुमिच्छामहे सर्वे त्वत्तो वै सांप्रतं द्विज
vistareṇāpi no brūhi teṣāṃ vṛttamanuttamam | śrotumicchāmahe sarve tvatto vai sāṃprataṃ dvija
അവരുടെ അനുത്തമമായ വൃത്താന്തം ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് വിശദമായി പറയുക. ഹേ ദ്വിജാ! ഞങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും ഇപ്പോൾ തന്നെ നിന്നിൽ നിന്ന് അത് കേൾക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified (a group of listeners addressing a dvija/sage in dialogue)
Concept: Śravaṇa with humility is itself a doorway to dharma; the Purāṇa is approached through respectful inquiry and patient listening.
Application: Cultivate daily ‘listening practice’: read or hear a small portion of Purāṇic/Itihāsa teaching with focused attention and respectful questions rather than debate.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of earnest listeners sits on kusa-grass mats in a forest hermitage, palms joined, leaning forward as they request the dvija to narrate an unsurpassed account in full detail. The sage, calm and luminous, prepares to speak, with palm-leaf manuscripts and a water-pot beside him, suggesting sacred transmission.","primary_figures":["dvija-sage narrator","group of listeners (ṛṣis/seekers)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama clearing with a small fire altar, kusa mats, palm-leaf bundles, and flowering trees","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","ochre","smoke gray","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene forest āśrama sabhā with a seated dvija-sage holding a palm-leaf manuscript, listeners with folded hands in semicircle, small yajña-kuṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu in foreground, ornate halos, gold leaf embellishment on borders and ornaments, rich reds and greens, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage gathering under flowering trees, delicate brushwork, refined faces, soft mountain-like horizon, cool greens and pale ochres, listeners leaning forward in reverent curiosity, subtle detailing of kusa mats and manuscripts, lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm yellow-red-green palette, large expressive eyes, dvija-sage centered with manuscript and kamaṇḍalu, devotees in orderly rows, temple-wall aesthetic even in forest setting, stylized foliage and decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional assembly framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, central sage on a raised seat, symmetrical arrangement of listeners, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacock-feather accents in border, ornate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["forest birds","gentle wind in leaves","soft crackle of sacrificial fire","distant flowing water","brief silence before narration"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विस्तरेणापि = विस्तरेण + अपि; श्रोतुमिच्छामहे = श्रोतुम् + इच्छामहे; त्वत्तो = त्वत्तः + (उकारादेशः) (before vowel); सांप्रतम् used adverbially.
FAQs
“Dvija” literally means “twice-born” and commonly addresses a Brahmin or learned sage; here it refers to the narrator/teacher from whom the listeners request the story.
They request a full, detailed narration (“vistareṇa”) of an excellent/unsurpassed account (“anuttamaṃ vṛttam”) and express collective eagerness to hear it immediately.
It models respectful inquiry and attentive listening—valuing truthful narration from a qualified teacher and showing humility and eagerness for sacred instruction.