Shloka 15
Yayāti Episode: Indra’s Anxiety, the Messenger Motif, and a Discourse on Time (Kāla) and Karma
विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादेन गगने गतिरुत्तमा । मर्त्यलोकं समासाद्य त्वयैव वसुधाधिप
viṣṇoścaiva prasādena gagane gatiruttamā | martyalokaṃ samāsādya tvayaiva vasudhādhipa
വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ പ്രസാദം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ആകാശത്തിലെ നിന്റെ ഗതി ഉത്തമമായി; മർത്ത്യലോകത്തെ പ്രാപിച്ച്, ഹേ വസുധാധിപാ, ഈ കര്മ്മം നീ തന്നെയാണ് സാധിപ്പിച്ചത്।
Unspecified (contextual speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: Extraordinary capacities—like celestial movement—are attributed not to ego but to Viṣṇu’s prasāda; the king’s success is grace-driven.
Application: Attribute successes to grace; act responsibly with power and mobility; keep devotion central when achievements feel ‘superhuman’.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A majestic king is shown traversing the sky in a luminous arc, as if borne by unseen divine force; below lies the textured expanse of the mortal world—fields, rivers, and cities—awaiting his arrival. Above him, Viṣṇu’s emblematic presence (chakra and conch in a radiant mandala) signifies that the true propulsion is prasāda, not mere royal power.","primary_figures":["King (vasudhādhipa)","Viṣṇu (symbolic presence or four-armed form)","Celestial attendants (optional)"],"setting":"Open sky with layered clouds; far below, a panoramic Martya-loka landscape with palace silhouettes and countryside.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["cobalt blue","sunlit gold","cloud white","vermillion","jade green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the king in ornate regalia suspended in the sky, surrounded by embossed gold-leaf cloud scrolls; above, Viṣṇu’s chakra-conch mandala with gem-like highlights; below, a stylized earth band with palaces and fields; rich reds/greens, heavy gold ornamentation, dramatic sacred grandeur.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant aerial scene with soft cloud washes, the king gliding diagonally, subtle Viṣṇu symbols in the upper corner; detailed miniature landscape below with rivers and tiny figures; cool blues with warm golden accents, refined narrative motion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic king figure against a patterned sky, concentric radiance indicating Viṣṇu’s grace, stylized earth band below; bold outlines, saturated reds/yellows/greens, temple-panel symmetry with dynamic diagonal movement.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: deep indigo sky filled with gold floral motifs and lotus medallions; central airborne king framed by conch-chakra symbols; lower register shows decorative earth landscape; peacocks and ornate borders, devotional symbolism over realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","wind rush","temple bells","mridangam strokes"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विष्णोश्चैव = विष्णोः + च + एव; गतिरुत्तमा = गतिः + उत्तमा.
FAQs
It attributes extraordinary capability (such as celestial movement and successful arrival) to Viṣṇu’s grace, while also acknowledging the king’s agency and responsibility in the mortal realm.
The term frames the addressee as a ruler whose actions have public, dharmic consequences, linking divine favor with rightful governance and worldly responsibility.
It emphasizes prasāda (divine favor) as the enabling power behind success, a common Vaishnava theme where human effort is meaningful but ultimately empowered by Viṣṇu.