Shloka 106
Narmadā
Revā) Tīrtha Greatness: The Gandharva Maidens’ Curse Narrative (Acchodā Episode Begins
स्वकाले प्रभवत्येव पूर्वोपात्तं शुभाशुभम् । स्वच्छायामिव दुर्वारं देवानामपि पार्थिव
svakāle prabhavatyeva pūrvopāttaṃ śubhāśubham | svacchāyāmiva durvāraṃ devānāmapi pārthiva
ഹേ രാജാവേ! നിശ്ചിത സമയത്ത് മുൻസഞ്ചിത പുണ്യപാപം തീർച്ചയായും ഫലിക്കുന്നു; സ്വന്തം നിഴലുപോലെ അത് അപ്രതിരോധ്യം—ദേവന്മാർക്കും ഒഴിവാക്കാനാവാത്തത്।
Unspecified (narrator addressing a king as 'pārthiva')
Concept: Merit and demerit inevitably fructify at their proper time; karma follows the doer like an inescapable shadow—even devas cannot obstruct it.
Application: Act as if every deed will return at its season; cultivate long-term ethical discipline, avoid ‘I’ll escape consequences’ thinking, and invest in sattvic habits and devotion.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king stands in a quiet hall as a sage gestures toward a man’s shadow stretching across the floor—an allegory made visible. Above, faint celestial figures (devas) watch, unable to intervene, while a wheel of time (kāla-cakra) turns in the background, marking the ripening of puṇya and pāpa.","primary_figures":["Sage narrator","King (pārthiva)","Devas (witnesses, secondary)"],"setting":"Royal audience hall opening to a courtyard; symbolic kāla-cakra motif in the sky or tapestry.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm sandalwood","antique gold","smoky blue","ivory","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage instructing a crowned king, pointing to a sharply defined shadow on a polished floor; gold-leaf kāla-cakra behind them, devas in small medallions above, rich red-green drapery, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry emphasizing moral certainty.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with refined faces, the shadow rendered with poetic subtlety; pale dawn light, delicate textiles, a faint circular time-wheel in the sky, cool-warm balance typical of Himalayan palettes and lyrical didactic storytelling.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines of sage and king, large expressive eyes, flat fields of ochre and green; the shadow as a strong black silhouette, a stylized time-wheel with lotus-like spokes, temple-wall narrative panel composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition where the ‘shadow’ becomes an ornate border motif repeating around the scene; deep blue ground with gold patterns, lotus medallions containing devas, central figures of sage and king framed by floral vines, devotional textile richness used for ethical instruction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft tanpura drone","single bell at cadence","quiet court ambience","gentle breeze"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: prabhavati eva → prabhavatyeva; pūrva-upāttam → pūrvopāttaṃ; śubha-aśubham → śubhāśubham; sva-chāyām iva → svacchāyāmiva; devānām api → devānāmapi
FAQs
It teaches the inevitability and timely fruition of karma: previously accumulated merit and demerit will mature at the proper time and cannot be blocked.
A shadow follows one constantly and cannot be separated from the person; likewise, karmic results cling to the doer and manifest inevitably.
A king should govern and act righteously, knowing that consequences of actions are unavoidable—so justice, restraint, and dharmic conduct are essential.