Shloka 15
The Yayāti Episode
with the Glory of Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha
पित्रोः शुश्रूषणं कार्यं पुत्रैश्चापि विशेषतः । न च यौवनदानस्य कालोऽयं मे नराधिप
pitroḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ putraiścāpi viśeṣataḥ | na ca yauvanadānasya kālo'yaṃ me narādhipa
പുത്രന്മാർ പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് പിതാമാതാക്കൾക്ക് സേവാ-ശുശ്രൂഷ ചെയ്യണം. ഹേ നരാധിപാ, എനിക്ക് യൗവനം നൽകാനുള്ള സമയം ഇതല്ല.
Unspecified (verse addresses a king: 'narādhipa')
Concept: Sons must especially serve father and mother; the pursuit or granting of youthfulness is inappropriate when duty and time demand a different life-stage orientation.
Application: Prioritize caregiving and respect for parents; accept aging as natural; shift from pleasure-seeking to responsibility and spiritual practice as time advances.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dignified elder addresses a king in a quiet chamber, the elder’s hand raised in gentle admonition. In the background, a mother and father sit with subdued expressions, suggesting the moral weight of filial duty. The king’s posture softens, as if realizing that the season of chasing youth has passed and the season of service has arrived.","primary_figures":["elder counselor/sage","king (narādhipa)","father and mother (as moral focus)"],"setting":"palace chamber adjoining a family shrine; low stools, oil lamps, and a tulasi pot near a window","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["bronze","deep maroon","leaf green","ivory","charcoal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: elder counselor admonishing a king, parents seated behind as revered figures; gold leaf accents on halos and palace arches, rich maroon and emerald drapery, ornate jewelry on the king, lamp-lit shrine corner with conch and lotus motifs, traditional South Indian decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate moral counsel scene; soft dappled light through a jali window, delicate textiles, restrained gestures; parents in calm dignity, king contemplative; cool greens and warm ivories, refined facial expressions and lyrical interior space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and flat pigments; elder’s raised hand of instruction, king seated lower in humility; parents rendered with iconic serenity; red/yellow/green palette, stylized lamp and tulasi pot, temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: moral tableau framed by lotus vines; central figures arranged symmetrically, parents as auspicious anchors; deep indigo background with gold floral borders, peacock motifs at corners, conch and lotus symbols subtly indicating dharmic sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum pulse","soft temple bell","hushed court silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुत्रैश्चापि = पुत्रैः + च + अपि; कालोऽयम् = कालः + अयम् (विसर्ग-लोप);
FAQs
It teaches pitṛ-sevā—devoted service to one’s parents—as a primary duty, especially for sons.
A king is being addressed, indicated by the vocative “narādhipa” (“O ruler of men”).
It implies the granting of youth or youthful vigor; the speaker states that the present moment is not suitable for such a boon.