Shloka 5
Agastya’s Instruction to Raghunātha (Rāma): Sin, Remorse, and the Aśvamedha Remedy
श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महाराजः कुंभजन्मसमीरितम् । उत्तस्थौ विगलन्नेत्र बाष्पपूरितसन्मुखः
śrutvā vākyaṃ mahārājaḥ kuṃbhajanmasamīritam | uttasthau vigalannetra bāṣpapūritasanmukhaḥ
കുംഭജന്മൻ ഉച്ചരിച്ച വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട് മഹാരാജാവ് എഴുന്നേറ്റു; കണ്ണുകളിൽ നിന്ന് കണ്ണീർ ഒഴുകി, മുഖം അശ്രുപൂരിതമായി।
Narrator (contextual description of the king’s reaction)
Concept: True hearing (śravaṇa) of a saint’s words melts ego and initiates repentance, the doorway to expiation and renewed dharma.
Application: Seek counsel from principled teachers; when corrected, pause, stand up from complacency, and let the heart soften before responding.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A great king rises abruptly from his seat as a pot-born sage’s words strike his heart. Tears stream from the king’s eyes, catching the light like pearls, while courtiers fall silent and the air feels charged with moral gravity.","primary_figures":["Maharaja (penitent king)","Kumbhajanma (Agastya)","silent courtiers/attendants"],"setting":"Hermitage audience space—woven grass mats, sacrificial fire nearby, palm-leaf manuscripts, forest edge visible beyond a simple pavilion.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a sudden shaft of divine radiance","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","forest green","saffron ochre","smoke gray","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the tearful king rising with folded hands before Kumbhajanma (Agastya) seated in yogic composure, gold leaf halo around the sage, rich red-green textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the king, stylized sacred fire and palm-leaf manuscripts, ornate arch framing the hermitage scene.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing the king’s moist eyes and trembling posture, Agastya calm and compassionate, cool greens and browns of a Himalayan-like forest hermitage, refined faces, small details—kamandalu, deer-skin seat, thin smoke from the havan.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, expressive wide eyes with visible tears on the king, Agastya with serene gaze and ochre complexion, temple-wall aesthetic with flat yet vibrant fields of red/yellow/green, stylized flora and a glowing homa-kunda.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional courtly scene reimagined with lotus borders and floral vines, the king’s tears like pearl drops, peacocks at the edge, deep indigo background with gold highlights, sacred fire and garlands forming a symmetrical Nathdwara-like composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["forest birds fading into silence","soft temple bell","crackle of sacrificial fire","gentle wind through leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kuṃbhajanmasamīritam = kuṃbha-janma-samīritam (समास); vigalannetra = vigalan netra (पदच्छेद; ‘विगलन्’ + ‘नेत्र’); bāṣpapūritasanmukhaḥ = bāṣpa-pūrita-sanmukhaḥ (समास)
FAQs
“Kumbhajanma” (“born of a pot”) is a well-known epithet of the sage Agastya, indicating that the king is responding to Agastya’s spoken words.
The verse highlights overwhelming grief, reverence, or devotional intensity—shown by the king rising immediately, with tears streaming from his eyes and his face drenched in tears.
It implies humility and receptivity to sacred counsel: the king’s tearful reaction and immediate rising show deep respect for the sage’s instruction and a softened, transformed heart.