Shloka 67
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
द्वारकायां न चावन्त्यां केदारे शशिभूषणे । लभते नैव सा नारी यजमाना सदा किल
dvārakāyāṃ na cāvantyāṃ kedāre śaśibhūṣaṇe | labhate naiva sā nārī yajamānā sadā kila
Walaupun wanita itu sentiasa melaksanakan yajña, dia tetap tidak memperoleh (buah itu) jika (ritus) bukan di Dvārakā, bukan di Avantī, bukan di Kedāra, dan bukan di Śaśibhūṣaṇa—demikianlah dikatakan.
Unspecified (contextual narrator within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue)
Concept: Ritual efficacy is not merely effort (yajamāna’s constancy) but alignment with prescribed kṣetra and dharmic conditions.
Application: When undertaking vows, donations, or major life-rites, attend to right context: consult tradition/teachers, choose sacred settings when possible, and avoid mechanical religiosity divorced from humility and right conduct.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devoted woman stands before a map-like sacred panorama: Dvārakā’s sea-washed temples, Ujjain’s riverfront shrines, Kedāra’s snow peaks, and a moon-crested Śiva-kṣetra glowing under a crescent. Her hands hold a ladle and offering bowl, yet the scene conveys that without the right sacred setting, the sacrifice’s promise remains just out of reach.","primary_figures":["a yajamānā (devotee woman)","Kṛṣṇa (symbolic presence at Dvārakā)","Mahākāla/Śiva (symbolic presence)","Himālaya sages (optional)"],"setting":"Composite tīrtha panorama: seashore temple city, river ghāṭ, Himalayan shrine, moonlit forest-temple","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep ocean blue","snow white","moon-silver","saffron cloth","temple gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: four-panel sacred montage—Dvārakā with Kṛṣṇa emblem, Avantī with Mahākāla icon, Kedāra amid snow peaks, and a moon-crested Śaśibhūṣaṇa shrine; central devotee woman in rich silk with gold jewelry; heavy gold leaf on temple towers and halos; ornate arch borders with conch, discus, and crescent motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic multi-scene landscape with delicate transitions from sea to river to mountains to moonlit grove; the devotee woman rendered with refined features and soft textiles; subtle emotional tension in posture; cool blues and whites with warm saffron accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined sacred geography with stylized waves, mountains, and crescent moon; large-eyed devotee in frontal pose; iconic shrines simplified; strong red/yellow/green pigments; decorative bands of lotus and rudrākṣa patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central devotional figure framed by four sacred vignettes; dense floral borders, lotus rosettes, peacocks; Dvārakā vignette includes cows and a small Kṛṣṇa symbol; deep indigo ground with gold highlights and white mountain detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["distant conch","temple bells","sea surf (Dvārakā)","mountain wind (Kedāra)","low drone of tanpura"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चावन्त्याम् = च + अवन्त्याम्; नैव = न + एव.
FAQs
It implies that the efficacy or “fruit” of certain rites is tied to performing them at particular sacred places, emphasizing tīrtha-māhātmya (the glorification of pilgrimage sites) alongside ritual action.
Dvārakā (a major Vaiṣṇava sacred city), Avantī/Ujjayinī (a renowned sacred region), Kedāra (a prominent Śaiva pilgrimage), and Śaśibhūṣaṇa (a named sacred site/linga) are cited as places where religious acts are considered especially potent.
It teaches that intention and effort (continuous yajña) are not the only factors; tradition also values proper context—right place, right method, and adherence to prescribed sacred frameworks.