Shloka 83
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
तथैव बालवैधव्या दासीत्वमुपगच्छति । द्विज उवाच । कन्यादानफलं ब्रूहि वद दास्याः फलं च यत्
tathaiva bālavaidhavyā dāsītvamupagacchati | dvija uvāca | kanyādānaphalaṃ brūhi vada dāsyāḥ phalaṃ ca yat
അതുപോലെ ബാല്യത്തിൽ വിധവയായ സ്ത്രീ ദാസീത്വാവസ്ഥയെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു। ദ്വിജൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“കന്യാദാനത്തിന്റെ ഫലം പറയുക; ദാസീദാനത്തിന്റെ ഫലവും പറയുക।”
Dvija (a Brahmin interlocutor) — questioner
Concept: Dāna (gift) and social duty must be evaluated by their phala; neglect of dharma leads to degradation and dependence.
Application: Treat giving and marriage-related customs as responsibilities, not transactions; protect the vulnerable; ask for scriptural guidance before acting.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned dvija, seated on a kusa-mat in a quiet hermitage hall, raises a grave question about the fate of a young widow and the moral fruits of gifts. In the background, a veiled young woman sits in shadow, symbolizing vulnerability, while palm-leaf manuscripts and a small Vishnu shrine suggest scriptural authority and Vaishnava orientation.","primary_figures":["Dvija (questioner)","Young widow (symbolic figure)","Sage-assembly or learned elders (silent witnesses)","Small icon of Vishnu (shrine presence)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama teaching pavilion with manuscripts, yajña utensils, and a modest tulasi planter near a lamp","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","saffron ochre","leaf green","smoke gray","lamp gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a solemn dvija in white dhoti with sacred thread seated before a low wooden manuscript stand, gesturing in inquiry; a small Vishnu shrine with gold-leaf halo and deep red backdrop; the young widow in muted tones at the edge, jewel-like ornamentation on the shrine, rich greens and maroons, gold leaf embellishment highlighting lamp flames and Vishnu’s aura.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate hermitage scene under sal trees, cool greens and soft browns; refined faces, the dvija’s raised hand in questioning mudra; a quiet, lyrical composition with a small Vishnu icon and tulasi pot; distant hills and a thin stream, gentle naturalism and restrained emotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm yellow and red ground; the dvija with expressive eyes and clear sacred thread, a stylized tulasi planter and lamp; Vishnu icon with strong green-blue body tone and ornate crown; the widow figure rendered in subdued palette to convey karuṇa.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional teaching courtyard framed by lotus and floral borders; a small central Vishnu shrine with deep blue and gold; attendants and cows in the periphery as auspicious motifs; the dvija in front, the widow figure subtly placed, intricate textile-like patterning and temple-lamp ambiance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","low temple bell","soft silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथैव = तथा + एव; दासीत्वमुपगच्छति = दासीत्वम् + उपगच्छति; कन्यादानफलं = कन्या-दान-फलम् (समास); भवेद्ध्रुवम् इत्यादि अन्यत्र।
FAQs
The verse transitions into a discussion on the karmic “fruit” (phala) of different forms of giving (dāna), specifically kanyā-dāna (giving a maiden in marriage) and giving a female servant.
The speaker is identified as a “dvija” (a twice-born, typically a Brahmin), who asks the next teacher/narrator to explain the merits of these gifts.
It frames social vulnerability—such as early widowhood—alongside servitude, and then asks about the religious valuation of donations involving persons, prompting a dharma-oriented evaluation of intention, harm, and merit.