Shloka 189
The Establishment of Vāmana at Kānyakubja and the Sanctification of Setu
प्रसारितकरेणैवं प्रार्थनैषा मया कृता । नृपाः कृते मयार्थित्वे यत्क्षेमं क्रियतामिह
prasāritakareṇaivaṃ prārthanaiṣā mayā kṛtā | nṛpāḥ kṛte mayārthitve yatkṣemaṃ kriyatāmiha
ഇങ്ങനെ കൈ നീട്ടി ഞാൻ ഈ അപേക്ഷ നടത്തി. ഹേ രാജാക്കന്മാരേ, ഞാൻ യാചകനായി വന്നിരിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ, ഇവിടെ എന്റെ ക്ഷേമത്തിന് അനുയോജ്യമായതു ചെയ്യുക.
Unspecified supplicant (context-dependent within Adhyaya 38)
Concept: A righteous society honors sincere supplication; rulers must respond to requests that secure welfare (kṣema) and uphold dharma.
Application: Ask for help with humility and clarity; if you hold power, treat requests as opportunities for dharmic service—prioritize genuine welfare over pride or delay.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lone petitioner stands before a line of seated kings, arm outstretched in respectful appeal, eyes lowered yet steady. The court is quiet; brāhmaṇas and ministers watch as the rulers weigh the request, the atmosphere charged with the moral test of power meeting vulnerability.","primary_figures":["supplicant/petitioner","kings (nṛpāḥ)","brāhmaṇas","ministers/guards"],"setting":"Royal assembly hall or riverside pavilion after a ritual gathering; carved pillars, a low dais, palm-leaf records, and a small lamp near the throne.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["bronze","midnight blue","cream","scarlet","smoky amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: petitioner with outstretched hand before enthroned kings; gold leaf highlights on thrones and jewelry, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments; expressive faces showing compassion and deliberation; ornate borders with auspicious motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate lines; petitioner in simple garments, kings in restrained finery; soft shadows, cool blues and warm ochres; refined emotional nuance in eyes and hand gestures; minimalistic elegance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized court architecture, petitioner’s extended arm emphasized; warm reds/yellows with green accents; large expressive eyes conveying plea and responsibility; temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: moral tableau framed by lotus borders; petitioner centered, kings arranged symmetrically; deep indigo ground with gold floral patterns; peacocks at corners; devotional undertone suggesting rulers as instruments of divine kṣema."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["hushed court ambience","single bell","soft footfalls","brief silence after the plea"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kareṇaivaṃ = kareṇa + evam; prārthanaiṣā = prārthanā + eṣā; mayārthitve = mayā + arthitve; yatkṣemam = yat + kṣemam; kriyatāmiha = kriyatām + iha.
FAQs
It implies the rāja-dharma obligation to protect and ensure the welfare (kṣema) of those who approach as supplicants, especially when a formal plea is made.
It is a conventional gesture of petition—indicating humility, need, and a direct appeal for help or protection.
Purāṇas often frame dharma through relationships—here, petitioner and ruler—teaching that power carries responsibility, and that responding rightly to requests is part of social and moral order.