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Shloka 22

The Account of Women

Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification

यथैवमत्तमातंगं सृणिमुद्गरयोगतः । स्ववशं कुरुते यंता तथा स्त्रीणां प्ररक्षकः

yathaivamattamātaṃgaṃ sṛṇimudgarayogataḥ | svavaśaṃ kurute yaṃtā tathā strīṇāṃ prarakṣakaḥ

അങ്കുശവും ഗദയും ഉപയോഗിച്ച് ആനപ്പുറക്കാരൻ മദിച്ച ആനയെ വശപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതുപോലെ, സ്ത്രീകളുടെ രക്ഷകൻ അവരെ തന്റെ നിയന്ത്രണത്തിൽ നിലനിർത്തുന്നു.

यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative: as/just as)
एवindeed/just
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
मत्त-मातङ्गम्a rutting elephant
मत्त-मातङ्गम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमत्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)
सृणि-मुद्गर-योगतःby the use of a goad and a club
सृणि-मुद्गर-योगतः:
Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसृणि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative: by means of/through the use of)
स्व-वशम्under (his) control
स्व-वशम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object complement: into one’s control)
कुरुतेmakes
कुरुते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
यन्ताthe driver/controller
यन्ता:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; तृच्-प्रत्यय, √यम्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता
तथाso/in the same way
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formतुल्योपमानार्थक-अव्यय (so/in the same way)
स्त्रीणाम्of women
स्त्रीणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध
प्र-रक्षकःthe protector/guard
प्र-रक्षकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्र (उपसर्ग) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक; √रक्ष् + ण्वुल्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता/विशेष्य (one who protects)

Unspecified (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narration)

Concept: Protection is framed as governance and control, using the elephant-taming metaphor to justify strict supervision.

Application: In modern application, reinterpret ‘protection’ as creating safe, respectful environments and consent-based guardianship; prioritize education, ethical conduct, and mutual accountability over coercion.

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic vignette shows a mahout restraining a musth elephant with an ankusha and club, dust rising under its feet. In the foreground, a sage narrates the analogy to Nārada, the moral tension conveyed through the elephant’s wild eye and the mahout’s rigid stance.","primary_figures":["Nārada","didactic narrator-sage","mahout (symbolic)","maddened elephant (symbolic)"],"setting":"Edge of a forest training ground near an ashram; tall sal trees, a cleared arena, and a distant hermitage roofline.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty ochre","forest green","iron gray","blood red accent","ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic elephant-taming allegory with gold leaf highlights on ankusha and ornaments, Nārada and sage in a side panel, rich reds/greens, embossed borders, intense expressions, moral tableau composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: forest training scene with a musth elephant, delicate depiction of motion and dust, cool greens and browns, refined figures, narrative split-scene with sage instructing Nārada, lyrical yet tense atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized elephant with bold outlines and patterned skin, mahout holding ankusha, Nārada and teacher rendered with iconic eyes, earthy pigments, temple-wall storytelling panel format.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border with floral motifs framing a symbolic discipline scene; deep blue ground with gold detailing, elephant stylized, Nārada present as witness, devotional aesthetic juxtaposed with stern allegory."}

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant thunder","elephant trumpet (suggested)","drum pulse","forest wind"]}

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथैव = यथा + एव; यथैवमत्तमातंगं = यथा + एव + मत्तमातङ्गम्; सृणिमुद्गरयोगतः = सृणि + मुद्गर + योगतः; स्ववशं = स्व + वशम्.

FAQs

It uses the metaphor of restraining a frenzied elephant to describe the role of a guardian as one who maintains control and protection.

No. This verse is ethical and metaphorical, focusing on conduct and guardianship rather than sacred geography.

The verse emphasizes responsibility and oversight as part of guardianship, portraying protection as an active duty of restraint and guidance.