Shloka 25
Glorification of Vārāṇasī: Kapardīśvara Liṅga and the Piśācamocana Tīrtha
कुरुष्व तं नमस्तुभ्यं त्वामहं शरणं गतः । इत्युक्तः शंकुकर्णोऽथ पिशाचमिदमब्रवीत्
kuruṣva taṃ namastubhyaṃ tvāmahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ | ityuktaḥ śaṃkukarṇo'tha piśācamidamabravīt
“അതു ചെയ്യുക; നിനക്കു നമസ്കാരം. ഞാൻ നിന്റെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.” ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ ശങ്കുകർണ്ണൻ പിശാചനോടു ഈ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു.
Śaṅkukarṇa (speaking to the piśāca, after being addressed by someone seeking refuge)
Concept: Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and respectful address (‘namas’) open the door to transformation; guidance can flow even in unlikely relationships when humility is present.
Application: When seeking help, approach with humility and clarity; when giving help, speak in a way that uplifts rather than humiliates, even if the seeker is socially ‘othered’.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śaṅkukarṇa, calm and composed, stands with a gesture of reassurance as a piśāca bows low, palms joined, uttering refuge-words. The atmosphere shifts from menace to instruction: the shadows soften, and a small lamp or sacred thread detail signals the entry of dharma into a darkened life.","primary_figures":["Śaṅkukarṇa","piśāca (repentant, non-grotesque depiction)"],"setting":"Forest edge near a shrine-stone or wayside altar, with a small oil lamp and a banyan tree suggesting a liminal meeting place","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit in dusk","color_palette":["deep umber","lamp gold","leaf green","saffron","charcoal gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śaṅkukarṇa in dignified posture with gold leaf halo, right hand in teaching/assurance mudrā; piśāca kneeling with folded hands, softened features; ornate arch and border, rich reds/greens, gold leaf highlights on lamp and ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate teacher-disciple moment under a tree, delicate expressions—Śaṅkukarṇa compassionate, piśāca humbled; cool dusk tones with a warm lamp glow, fine brushwork and lyrical foliage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures—Śaṅkukarṇa as dharmic teacher, piśāca in submissive posture; red-yellow-green pigments, ornamental background bands, clear narrative readability.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central vignette framed by floral borders and lamp motifs; Śaṅkukarṇa and the piśāca rendered as devotional silhouettes with intricate textile patterns, deep blue ground with gold and saffron accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft bell","night insects","gentle tanpura drone","leaf rustle","brief conch accent at ‘śaraṇam’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नमस्तुभ्यं = नमः + तुभ्यम्; त्वामहं = त्वाम् + अहम्; इत्युक्तः = इति + उक्तः; शंकुकर्णोऽथ = शंकुकर्णः + अथ; पिशाचमिदमब्रवीत् = पिशाचम् + इदम् + अब्रवीत्.
FAQs
It expresses the act of taking refuge—approaching another with surrender and trust for protection or guidance.
Śaṅkukarṇa is the speaker here, and he addresses a piśāca (a ghoul/demonic being).
It highlights humility and the formal act of supplication—salutation and surrender—often presented as the proper preface to seeking help or resolution in Purāṇic narratives.