Shloka 46
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
दारुणाचारनिरता नित्यं छलपरायणाः । न पुष्णंति सुतास्तातं प्रसुवं च गुरूनपि
dāruṇācāraniratā nityaṃ chalaparāyaṇāḥ | na puṣṇaṃti sutāstātaṃ prasuvaṃ ca gurūnapi
കഠിനാചാരത്തിൽ നിരതരായി നിത്യം വഞ്ചനയിൽ പരായണരായ അത്തരം പുത്രന്മാർ പിതാവിനെയും പ്രസവിച്ച മാതാവിനെയും ഗുരുക്കന്മാരെയും പോലും പോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നില്ല।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 76)
Concept: Dharma begins with gratitude and service to parents and teachers; deceitful harshness destroys the very roots of virtue.
Application: Practice daily acts of support: respectful speech, material care, and time given to parents/elders; maintain teacher-mentor gratitude; avoid छल (manipulation) in relationships.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dim household courtyard where an aged father and a weary mother sit neglected, while a son with a hard gaze turns away, whispering deceitfully to companions. In the background, a silent guru with a palm-leaf manuscript watches, his blessing-hand lowered in sorrow as dharma’s thread appears frayed in the air.","primary_figures":["aged father","mother (prasū)","deceitful son","guru/ācārya figure"],"setting":"North Indian-style domestic courtyard with a small shrine niche, discarded offerings, and a threshold smeared with dust rather than auspicious paste.","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit with fading twilight","color_palette":["smoky indigo","ash gray","muted ochre","dull maroon","tarnished gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sorrowful domestic dharma-scene—aged parents seated near a small Vishnu shrine, the son turning away with a hardened expression; the guru stands with palm-leaf text, eyes compassionate; use gold leaf to highlight the shrine lamp and the faint halo of dharma around the elders, rich reds/greens subdued to show moral decline, ornate borders with lotus motifs turned downward.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard vignette with delicate lines—elderly parents in simple garments, the son stepping away toward a doorway, the guru in saffron holding a manuscript; cool dusk tones, lyrical but melancholic, fine facial expressions emphasizing regret and ingratitude, small tulsi pot in corner left unattended.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and expressive eyes—parents and guru rendered with dignified stillness, the son with angular posture; temple-lamp glow near a small Vishnu icon, red/yellow/green pigments with darkened background to convey kali-yuga heaviness, ornamental floral border with lotus and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic moral tableau—Krishna/Vishnu shrine at center with lotus border, elders seated in reverence while the son turns away; include peacocks with drooping tails and cows looking on as witnesses; deep blue ground with gold detailing, floral borders showing withered blossoms to signify neglected dharma."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","distant conch","evening wind","brief silence between pādas"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दָरुणाचारनिरता → दारुण + आचार + निरताः. पुष्णंति → पुष्णन्ति (anusvāra for न् before त). सुतास्तातं → सुताः + तातम् (ः + त → स् + त). गुरूनपि → गुरून् + अपि (न् + अ → न).
FAQs
It condemns cruelty and deceit as character flaws that lead people to neglect essential duties—supporting parents and honoring teachers.
The verse highlights obligations toward one’s father, one’s mother (the one who bore them), and one’s gurus/teachers.
It frames dharma as practical righteousness: truthful conduct and responsible care for elders and teachers, contrasting it with deceptive living.