Shloka 32
The Origin of the Daṇḍaka Forest and Rāma’s Dharma-Judgment
Vulture vs. Owl
एवंविधं वचो वक्तुं न त्वमर्हसि पार्थिव । अन्येभ्योपि सुदुष्टेभ्यो रक्ष्या चाहं सदा त्वया
evaṃvidhaṃ vaco vaktuṃ na tvamarhasi pārthiva | anyebhyopi suduṣṭebhyo rakṣyā cāhaṃ sadā tvayā
ഹേ പാർഥിവാ! ഇത്തരത്തിലുള്ള വാക്കുകൾ നീ പറയരുത്. മറ്റു അതിദുഷ്ടരിൽ നിന്നുപോലും എന്നെ നീ എപ്പോഴും സംരക്ഷിക്കണം।
Unspecified (a female speaker addressing a king; context needed to identify the exact interlocutors in Adhyaya 37)
Concept: Rāja-dharma includes protecting the vulnerable and restraining harmful speech; power is measured by guardianship, not domination.
Application: Use authority to safeguard others; avoid harsh speech; treat protection as a duty even when others are hostile.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a pillared royal hall, a noble woman stands with composed sorrow, raising a gentle hand to restrain the king’s harsh words. Courtiers fade into shadow as the moral tension centers on her plea for protection, her gaze steady and dignified.","primary_figures":["a noble woman (speaker)","a king (pārthiva)","silent courtiers/guards"],"setting":"royal sabhā with carved pillars, low throne, textile canopies, guarded entrances","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","ivory white","indigo","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian royal court scene where a dignified woman admonishes a king to uphold protection; gold leaf halos subtly behind the righteous figures, rich red and green textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars and archways, high-contrast devotional solemnity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate palace interior with delicate linework; the woman’s calm, pleading gesture toward the king; cool muted palette with lyrical drapery folds, refined faces, minimal but expressive courtiers, patterned carpets and bolsters.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the woman in graceful stance instructing the king; stylized eyes, rhythmic ornamentation, warm red-yellow-green dominance, architectural borders like temple murals.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic court transformed into a lotus-bordered moral tableau; intricate floral borders, lamp motifs, peacocks at the margins; deep blues and gold accents, emphasizing protection and dharma as sacred order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft ankle-bells","low temple bell","hushed court ambience","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्वम्+अर्हसि→त्वमर्हसि; अन्येभ्यः+अपि→अन्येभ्योपि; रक्ष्या+च+अहम्→रक्ष्या चाहम् (चाहम्); अन्येभ्यः सुदुष्टेभ्यः—पञ्चमी-सम्बन्धः (from very wicked others).
FAQs
It teaches restraint in speech and underscores a ruler’s duty (rājadharma) to protect those under his care, even against hostile outsiders.
Purāṇas repeatedly frame kingship as guardianship: the king must ensure safety and dignity for dependents and avoid harsh or improper speech that violates dharma.
The verse itself only indicates that the speaker addresses a king (pārthiva). Identifying the exact speaker requires the surrounding verses of Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 37.