Shloka 26
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
विरुद्धं परुषं वाक्यं यो वदेद्धि द्विजातिषु । अष्टौ कुष्ठाः प्रजायंते तस्य देहे दृढं सुत
viruddhaṃ paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ yo vadeddhi dvijātiṣu | aṣṭau kuṣṭhāḥ prajāyaṃte tasya dehe dṛḍhaṃ suta
ദ്വിജന്മാരുടെ ഇടയിൽ വിരുദ്ധവും കഠിനവുമായ വാക്കുകൾ പറയുന്നവന്—ഓ സ്ഥിരപുത്രാ—അവന്റെ ദേഹത്തിൽ എട്ട് തരത്തിലുള്ള കുഷ്ഠങ്ങൾ ദൃഢമായി ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നു।
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; vocative 'suta' indicates the speaker addresses a son/disciple)
Concept: Harsh, divisive speech toward the twice-born corrodes the speaker’s own body; vāṅ-niyama (discipline of speech) is a pillar of dharma.
Application: Practice ‘satya-hita-priya’ speech: truthful, beneficial, and gentle; avoid public humiliation; replace contradiction-for-ego with inquiry and humility.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a learned assembly, a man speaks sharply, his words depicted as jagged black glyphs striking the air among seated dvijas. As the syllables land, pale lesions bloom symbolically across his skin like ink spreading on cloth, while the listeners remain composed, embodying restraint and dignity.","primary_figures":["a harsh speaker","dvija assembly (brāhmaṇas)","a teacher figure addressing a disciple (‘suta’)"],"setting":"a sabhā or āśrama hall with palm-leaf manuscripts, yajñopavīta details, and a small lamp","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with stern clarity","color_palette":["parchment beige","ink black","vermillion","smoked bronze","cool white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sabhā scene with dvijas seated in orderly rows, the speaker at center emitting stylized sharp script-like forms; early signs of skin disease shown symbolically; gold leaf on halos, lamp, and manuscript borders, rich reds/greens, ornate South Indian framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court-of-scholars setting, delicate facial expressions—calm listeners, agitated speaker; subtle depiction of lesions as faint pale patches; cool palette, fine textiles, lyrical architectural details.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines of the assembly, exaggerated expressive eyes, speech rendered as angular motifs; disease marks as patterned patches; red/yellow/green pigments with black contours, didactic temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: moral allegory framed by floral borders; the harsh words appear as thorny vines crossing the space, contrasted with lotus motifs near the dvijas; deep blue background with gold highlights, intricate ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single bell strike","murmur of a scholarly hall","page rustle of palm leaves","brief hush after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vadeddhi = vadet + hi (t + h → ddh by sandhi); prajāyaṃte = prajāyante (anusvāra in Devanagari orthography).
FAQs
It warns that hostile, contradictory, and cruel speech—especially in learned or dharmic circles—creates serious karmic consequences, emphasizing restraint and truthfulness in communication.
Dvijātis (“twice-born”) refers to the three varṇas traditionally invested with the sacred thread and Vedic study: Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and Vaiśyas.
Purāṇic ethics often link moral actions to tangible karmaphala; harmful speech is portrayed as a cause of bodily affliction to stress the gravity of verbal harm and social disruption.