Shloka 23
Vena’s Fall into Adharma and the Prelude to Pṛthu’s Birth
राजपुण्येन राजेंद्र सुखं जीवंति वै द्विजाः । राज्ञः पापेन नश्यंति तस्मात्पुण्यं समाचर
rājapuṇyena rājeṃdra sukhaṃ jīvaṃti vai dvijāḥ | rājñaḥ pāpena naśyaṃti tasmātpuṇyaṃ samācara
हे राजेंद्र! राजाच्या पुण्यामुळेच द्विज सुखाने जगतात; राजाच्या पापामुळे ते नष्ट होतात. म्हणून पुण्य, धर्माचरण कर।
Unspecified (addressing a king: 'rājendra')
Concept: A ruler’s merit sustains the happiness of the twice-born; a ruler’s sin causes their ruin—therefore the king must practice puṇya and righteousness.
Application: Leaders (and household heads) should recognize moral contagion: personal integrity affects dependents; choose policies/actions that increase welfare, justice, and spiritual culture.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A crowned king stands at the palace balcony overlooking his city: on one side, prosperity—smiling scholars, thriving markets, peaceful rituals; on the other, a shadowed vision of decline—withered fields and distressed sages—hovering like a warning. The king’s hands are shown offering gifts to brāhmaṇas and lighting a lamp before Vishnu, indicating that personal puṇya becomes public welfare.","primary_figures":["Rājendra (ideal king)","Brāhmaṇas (twice-born)","Vishnu (as a shrine icon or vision)","Citizens as the realm’s mirror"],"setting":"Royal palace overlooking a city with a nearby temple courtyard; contrasting prosperity and decline as symbolic overlays.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["royal gold","stone gray","turmeric yellow","emerald green","shadow violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: majestic king with gold leaf crown and halo, offering dāna to brāhmaṇas and lighting a lamp before a Vishnu shrine; cityscape below with prosperous vignettes; a darker corner vignette showing the consequence of sin; heavy gold leaf embellishment, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch framing the moral tableau.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined palace terrace scene with the king in profile, delicate city details below, gentle morning light; symbolic cloud-like overlay showing alternate outcomes (prosperity vs decline); subtle emotional gravity in faces, cool palette with warm highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic king figure centered, brāhmaṇas to one side receiving gifts, Vishnu shrine to the other; prosperity motifs (grain, lamps) rendered in flat pigments; warning motif in darker tones; bold outlines and temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central king offering lamp to Vishnu amid lotus borders; surrounding circular medallions depict the fruits of puṇya (happy scholars, abundant harvest) and the fruits of pāpa (withered lotuses, dim lamps); deep blue ground with gold and floral intricacy, peacocks and cows as prosperity symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["palace drum in distance","temple bells","conch at shrine","murmur of city life fading into silence on 'nashyanti'"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मात्पुण्यम् = तस्मात् + पुण्यम् (त् + प् → त्प्).
FAQs
It teaches rāja-dharma: a ruler’s virtue sustains the well-being of society, while a ruler’s wrongdoing brings collective harm—so the king should cultivate puṇya (righteous merit).
Dvijas (traditionally the twice-born, especially Brahmins) are highlighted as a social indicator of stability: when governance is righteous, learned and religious life flourishes; when governance is sinful, it deteriorates.
Leadership is morally consequential: the ruler’s personal ethics are not private, but materially affect the safety, prosperity, and spiritual health of the community—therefore the ruler must actively practice virtue.