Shloka 41
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
यथागतास्तथा सर्वे महाशापभयातुराः । स्वंस्वं स्थानं महाराज इंद्राद्याः प्रययुस्तदा
yathāgatāstathā sarve mahāśāpabhayāturāḥ | svaṃsvaṃ sthānaṃ mahārāja iṃdrādyāḥ prayayustadā
അവർ വന്നതുപോലെ തന്നേ, മഹാശാപഭയത്തിൽ വിറച്ചുകൊണ്ട് എല്ലാവരും പിരിഞ്ഞുപോയി. തുടർന്ന്, മഹാരാജാവേ, ഇന്ദ്രാദി ദേവന്മാർ തത്തത്തം ലോകങ്ങളിലേക്കു മടങ്ങി।
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (mahārāja) within the chapter’s dialogue frame
Concept: Fear of a righteous curse symbolizes accountability: power without restraint collapses before dharmic consequence.
Application: When you recognize wrongdoing, withdraw from harmful action promptly; humility and retreat can prevent deeper karmic entanglement.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial gathering breaks apart in sudden sobriety: garlands sway as devas turn away, their faces tense with the fear of a great curse. Indra, still regal, nonetheless withdraws toward his aerial chariot, and the once-playful atmosphere around Manmatha becomes muted and cautious.","primary_figures":["Indra","Manmatha","assembled devas"],"setting":"Cloud-terraced court transitioning into open sky lanes leading to various deva-vimānas; sense of dispersal in multiple directions.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ashen silver","storm blue","pale gold","smoky violet","white jasmine"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a gold-embossed Svarga hall with devas turning away in different directions, their halos dimmed; Indra stepping toward a vimāna, Manmatha lowering his bow; ornate borders, gold leaf on architecture, but with cooler tones to convey retreat and fear.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: drifting clouds and delicate figures moving apart; subtle facial anxiety; cool nocturnal palette; multiple small vimānas departing toward distant horizons, creating a gentle but decisive sense of dispersal.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized devas in profile procession, moving outward; bold outlines, limited depth; fear conveyed through widened eyes and tightened mouths; sky rendered as layered blue bands with rhythmic cloud motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition broken intentionally—figures arranged in outward-flowing arcs; floral borders remain ornate while the central space empties; deep blue ground with silver-gold highlights, emphasizing withdrawal and moral gravity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["wind through clouds","distant conch","fading celestial drums","silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथागतास्तथा → यथा + आगताः + तथा; स्वंस्वं → स्वम् + स्वम् (अनुस्वार-लेखनेन); इंद्राद्याः → इन्द्र + आद्याः (आदि-प्रत्ययार्थ).
FAQs
They depart because they are distressed by fear of a “mahāśāpa” (a great curse), prompting them to return to their own abodes.
It indicates that each deity goes back to his own proper place or realm—emphasizing restored order after a tense or threatening episode.
The verse reflects the Purāṇic idea that even powerful beings remain subject to moral causality; wrongdoing or transgression can bring consequences that compel restraint and withdrawal.