Shloka 137
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
निजवृत्तिं परित्यज्य कुर्वंति चाधमां च ये । गुरुनिंदारता द्वेषाच्छातयंति धरां नराः
nijavṛttiṃ parityajya kurvaṃti cādhamāṃ ca ye | guruniṃdāratā dveṣācchātayaṃti dharāṃ narāḥ
തങ്ങളുടെ യഥോചിതമായ ആചാരം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് അധമകർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യുന്നവർ, ദ്വേഷവശാൽ ഗുരുനിന്ദയിൽ രതരായവർ—അത്തരം നരർ ഭൂമിയെ നാശത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കുന്നു।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 76)
Concept: Abandoning one’s rightful conduct and indulging in base acts—especially through guru-nindā born of hatred—destroys the foundations of learning, virtue, and social order.
Application: Maintain svadharma and ethical boundaries; cultivate gratitude to teachers/elders; when disagreement arises, respond with humility and inquiry rather than slander; practice apology and restitution as spiritual hygiene.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A student figure turns away from a seated guru beneath a sacred fig tree, his shadow stretching long and jagged as he steps toward a dark alley of base pleasures. The guru remains calm, holding a rosary and scripture, while the ground near the student cracks—an allegory of the earth harmed by guru-nindā and svadharma-abandonment.","primary_figures":["guru (ācārya)","wayward disciple","personified Bhū-devī (subtle, in the landscape)"],"setting":"Gurukula courtyard with fig tree, water pot, and manuscript stand; a forked path leading to a bright temple lane vs a dark alley.","lighting_mood":"late afternoon with stark contrast—warm light near the guru, cold shadow near the disciple","color_palette":["saffron","earth brown","shadow violet","pale gold","charcoal black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: guru seated with gold leaf halo, scripture and japa-mālā; the disciple depicted mid-turn with tense posture; gold leaf used to emphasize the dharmic path, while the adharma path is rendered in muted tones; rich reds/greens, ornate borders, traditional South Indian devotional composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate gurukula scene with delicate brushwork; expressive faces showing calm vs resentment; soft landscape, refined textiles; symbolic forked path painted with lyrical naturalism and subtle moral cues.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic eye expressions; guru serene, disciple with angular gestures; background motifs of cracking earth and swirling tamas; natural pigments with strong reds/yellows/greens.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central fig tree framed by floral borders; guru as still center, disciple moving outward; lotus motifs near the guru, thorny vines near the disciple; deep blue ground with gold highlights to encode dharma vs adharma."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant temple bell","rustling leaves","brief silence after key words"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: निजवृत्तिं → निजवृत्तिम्; कुर्वंति → कुर्वन्ति; चाधमां → च अधमाम्; गुरुनिंदारता → गुरु-निन्दा-रताः; द्वेषाच्छातयंति → द्वेषात् शातयन्ति; धरां → धराम्.
FAQs
It warns that abandoning one’s proper dharma and indulging in low conduct—especially fueled by hatred and disrespect toward one’s guru—harms society at large.
No. The verse is ethical and social in focus, describing moral causes of societal decline rather than locations of pilgrimage.
The guru is treated as a revered moral authority; habitual revilement of the guru is presented as a serious fault that leads to broader harm.