Shloka 88
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
विक्रीय चात्मजां मूढो नरकान्न निवर्त्तते । लोभादसदृशे पुंसि कन्यां यस्तु प्रयच्छति
vikrīya cātmajāṃ mūḍho narakānna nivarttate | lobhādasadṛśe puṃsi kanyāṃ yastu prayacchati
മൂഢൻ സ്വന്തം മകളെ വിറ്റാൽ അവൻ നരകത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മടങ്ങിവരുകയില്ല. അതുപോലെ ലാഭലോഭത്താൽ അയോഗ്യനോ അസമനോ ആയ പുരുഷനു കന്യയെ നൽകുന്നവനും അതേ ഗതി പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 52)
Concept: Treating a daughter as merchandise and arranging marriage from greed violates dharma and leads to naraka; marriage is a sacred trust, not a transaction.
Application: Reject any form of bride-selling or coercive ‘price’; prioritize character, compatibility, and consent; keep marriage rites free from financial bargaining.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn marriage pavilion is split into two moral worlds: on one side a greedy father counts coins with a shadowy, unworthy suitor looming; on the other, a radiant dharmic wedding fire glows, suggesting the path not taken. In the background, a dark chasm labeled ‘naraka’ is hinted through smoky reds and iron silhouettes, warning of karmic consequence.","primary_figures":["a father overcome by greed","a maiden (kanyā)","an unfit suitor","Agni (as the wedding fire, symbolic)","Dharma (personified, optional)"],"setting":"marriage maṇḍapa with vedī and sacred fire; contrasting shadowy corner suggesting hellish consequence","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit shifting into ominous ember-glow","color_palette":["smoldering vermilion","ash gray","antique gold","deep indigo","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian marriage maṇḍapa with Agni at center, gold-leaf halo around the sacred fire and Dharma personified as a regal figure; the greedy father rendered with heavy jewelry and coin-pouch, the unworthy groom in darker tones; ornate pillars, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, dramatic contrast between dharmic radiance and a shadowy naraka vignette at the border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate wedding pavilion with fine linework, the maiden in soft pastel garments, the father’s anxious greed shown through subtle gesture; a lyrical yet cautionary composition with a faint smoky ravine in the distance symbolizing naraka; cool natural palette with refined faces and gentle architectural detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized expressive eyes, Agni blazing in red-yellow-green pigments; the father’s greed shown by exaggerated hand clutching coins; a dark, swirling corner motif indicating naraka; temple-wall aesthetic with symmetrical framing and decorative floral borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a moral tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; central sacred fire with intricate patterns, peacocks at corners; the greedy transaction depicted at one side in muted tones, while dharmic blessing motifs (lotus, conch, chakra symbols) appear on the other; deep blues and gold accents, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","crackling sacred fire","distant conch shell","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चात्मजाम् = च + आत्मजाम्; नरकान्न = नरकात् + न; लोभादसदृशे = लोभात् + असदृशे; यस्तु = यः + तु
FAQs
It condemns treating a daughter as property for profit and warns against arranging a marriage driven by greed, especially to an unsuitable or mismatched man—both presented as grave violations of dharma.
No. This verse is a moral injunction concerning marriage ethics and the sin of greed, not a description of tīrthas or sacred geography.
By emphasizing dharmic conduct and restraint from greed, it frames moral purity as foundational for spiritual life; unethical actions are said to lead to severe karmic consequences that obstruct progress.