Shloka 109
The Birth of King Pṛthu: Vena’s Fall, the Sages’ Churning, and Earth’s Surrender
स्त्रीणां वधे महत्पापं दृष्टमस्ति द्विजोत्तमैः । गवां वधे महत्पापं दृष्टमस्ति द्विजोत्तमैः
strīṇāṃ vadhe mahatpāpaṃ dṛṣṭamasti dvijottamaiḥ | gavāṃ vadhe mahatpāpaṃ dṛṣṭamasti dvijottamaiḥ
ദ്വിജോത്തമർ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്—സ്ത്രീവധം മഹാപാപം; അതുപോലെ ഗോവധവും മഹാപാപം തന്നെയെന്ന് അവർ നിർണ്ണയിച്ചു।
Unspecified (narratorial/quoted ethical statement within the chapter)
Concept: Ahiṃsā as a foundational social and ritual ethic: violence toward women and cows is mahāpāpa.
Application: Practice non-violence in speech and action; support cow protection and compassionate care; cultivate reverence toward women as bearers of life and social stability; avoid livelihoods that depend on harm.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn dharma-sabhā: venerable dvijottamas seated on kusa mats pronounce a grave injunction, while a king listens with folded hands. In the foreground, a gentle cow with a calf stands beside a veiled woman, both sheltered under a symbolic canopy of protection, suggesting the king’s duty to guard life.","primary_figures":["dvijottamas (brahmin sages)","a listening king","cow and calf","a woman as protected subject"],"setting":"royal court turned dharma-assembly with ritual implements (agnihotra fire, water pot, palm-leaf manuscripts)","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","deep maroon","smoke-grey","antique gold","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-assembly with brahmin sages in white garments and sacred threads, a king in jeweled crown offering añjali, a cow-and-calf motif at the base, ornate arch backdrop, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography emphasizing protection and sanctity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate brushwork, sages seated in a semicircle, the king respectfully kneeling, a calm cow and calf near a flowering tree, soft pastel architecture, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism, cool shadows and fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat natural pigments, sages with expressive eyes and stylized jewelry, the king in profile with añjali, cow-and-calf rendered iconically, temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green dominance and rhythmic ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central protective motif of a cow and calf framed by lotus and creeper borders, sages and king arranged symmetrically, intricate floral filigree, deep indigo background with gold highlights, devotional atmosphere echoing go-sevā as sacred service."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low conch shell","soft fire-crackle","measured silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महत्पापम् = महत् पापम्; दृष्टमस्ति = दृष्टम् अस्ति.
FAQs
It underscores ahiṃsā (non-violence) by explicitly condemning the killing of women and cows as “great sin,” presenting them as grave violations of dharma.
In many Dharma-oriented passages, cows symbolize sustenance and sacred social welfare; the verse treats harm to cows as a severe moral transgression, paralleling violence against protected and revered beings.
Dvijottamaiḥ means “by the best of the twice-born,” i.e., authoritative learned Brahmins or sages whose dharma judgments are being cited to validate the moral claim.