Shloka 58
Womb-Suffering and the Path to Liberation
Dialogue of Wisdom, Meditation, and Discernment
सुमतिर्नाम संप्रोक्ता सा वृद्धा युवतीति च । नारी पुरुषलोकेषु सर्वदैव प्रतिष्ठिता
sumatirnāma saṃproktā sā vṛddhā yuvatīti ca | nārī puruṣalokeṣu sarvadaiva pratiṣṭhitā
അവൾക്ക് ‘സുമതി’ എന്ന നാമം പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; അവൾ വൃദ്ധയെന്നും യുവതിയെന്നും പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. ഈ നാരീ-തത്ത്വം പുരുഷലോകങ്ങളിൽ സദാ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിതമാണ്.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the chapter context)
Concept: Sumati (right-mindedness) is perennial—both ‘old’ (mature, time-tested) and ‘young’ (fresh, ever-renewing)—and is established among humans as a guiding feminine principle.
Application: Honor mature counsel and youthful openness simultaneously: keep traditions (vṛddhā) while renewing sincerity (yuvatī); seek mentors and also maintain beginner’s mind in sādhana.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sumati appears as a single figure with two aspects: half depicted as a venerable matron with silver hair and half as a radiant maiden, both sharing one calm gaze. Behind her stretches a panorama of human life—villages, courts, hermitages—showing that her presence is established everywhere among men.","primary_figures":["Sumati (dual-aspect: old and young)","Human figures (kings, householders, students, ascetics)"],"setting":"A symbolic ‘world of men’ tableau: palace veranda blending into a village path and a forest āśrama, unified by a central lotus pedestal.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["ivory white","vermillion","peacock blue","aged gold","forest green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Sumati as ardhanārī-like dual age depiction—one side elderly, one side youthful—standing on a lotus; gold leaf emphasizes the paradox; background panels show palace, village, and āśrama scenes; rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry, traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical dual-age Sumati with delicate shading; Himalayan-like rolling hills behind a small court and hermitage; cool blues and soft vermillion; fine facial features and gentle narrative vignettes of human life around her.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Sumati’s two-age visage rendered with characteristic large eyes; patterned textiles in red/yellow/green; background registers showing men’s worlds—king, householder, ascetic—under a unifying lotus mandala.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion with Sumati in dual-age form; surrounding border of lotuses and creepers; peacocks and cows in corners; deep indigo field with gold detailing, suggesting her ever-established presence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft mridangam pulse","temple courtyard ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुमतिर्नाम = सुमतिः + नाम; युवतीति = युवती + इति; सर्वदैव = सर्वदा + एव.
FAQs
In this śloka, “Sumati” is presented as a named figure/ideal whose presence is described as enduring and established; the verse emphasizes her abiding role rather than giving a detailed biography in the line itself.
The pairing “vṛddhā” and “yuvatī” suggests continuity across life-stages—an idea of perennial presence that is not limited to a single age or social condition.
It implies that the feminine principle (nārī) is an enduring, foundational presence within human society, worthy of recognition and respect across all times and stages.