Shloka 31
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
कुलद्वयं समा नारी समयित्वा तु तिष्ठति । साध्वी तारयते वंशान्दुष्टा पातयति ध्रुवम्
kuladvayaṃ samā nārī samayitvā tu tiṣṭhati | sādhvī tārayate vaṃśānduṣṭā pātayati dhruvam
സ്ത്രീ രണ്ട് കുലങ്ങളെയും സമമായി കാണുന്നു. പതിവ്രതയായ സ്ത്രീ വംശങ്ങളെ രക്ഷിക്കുന്നു, എന്നാൽ ദുഷ്ടയായവൾ തീർച്ചയായും അവയെ നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified narrator (context not provided in the input excerpt; likely within a Purāṇic dialogue frame)
Concept: A wife becomes a pivotal bridge between natal and marital lineages; virtue uplifts both, corruption harms both.
Application: Treat marriage as a shared dharmic responsibility; cultivate integrity, truthfulness, and mutual respect to benefit extended families.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic bridge scene: a woman stands at the center of a decorated archway connecting two ancestral houses, each marked with family emblems and sacred fires. On one side, her virtue is shown as a stream of light lifting both households; on the other, a shadowy reflection hints at downfall when dharma is broken.","primary_figures":["A sādhvī wife (archetype)","Two sets of elders representing both lineages","Household sacred fire (agni) as symbol"],"setting":"Twin courtyards linked by a ceremonial gateway; visible gṛhya fire altars, garlands, and family shrines.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green","sunlit gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sādhvī figure under a gold-leaf arch connecting two ornate households; symmetrical elders on both sides, glowing agni-kundas, rich brocades; gold halos and embossed floral patterns emphasizing her dharmic radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant gateway between two homes with delicate architectural detail; soft light around the central figure, elders seated with calm expressions; subtle contrast of light and shadow to suggest uplift vs downfall.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined central figure with stylized eyes, twin household panels left and right, agni rendered as patterned flame motifs; strong red-yellow-green palette with black contouring, temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central medallion of the wife as ‘kula-setu’ (bridge), surrounded by lotus borders; side vignettes show two households with lamps and cows; deep blue ground with gold floral filigree and Vaishnava auspicious symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft tanpura","temple lamp crackle","distant birds","gentle bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaṃśānduṣṭā = vaṃśān + duṣṭā.
FAQs
It presents the married woman as belonging equally to her natal and marital families, implying her actions and character affect both lineages.
It frames personal virtue as socially consequential: a sādhvī supports, protects, and elevates family continuity, while unethical conduct damages reputation, harmony, and stability.
This specific verse is primarily a dharma/ethical aphorism about family and virtue; it is not directly about tirtha geography, bhakti practice, or cosmological creation.