Shloka 17
The Account of Sukalā and the Greatness of Nārī-tīrtha
Wife-Assisted Śrāddha and Pitṛ-Liberation
सभार्याय वरं दातुं भवंतो हि समागताः । इंद्र उवाच । एषा सती महाभागा सुकला चारुमंगला
sabhāryāya varaṃ dātuṃ bhavaṃto hi samāgatāḥ | iṃdra uvāca | eṣā satī mahābhāgā sukalā cārumaṃgalā
“Sesungguhnya kalian telah berhimpun untuk mengurniakan aku, bersama isteriku, suatu anugerah.” Indra bersabda: “Wanita suci ini amat berbahagia—indah pada setiap bahagiannya dan dihiasi tanda-tanda kemuliaan yang menawan.”
Indra
Concept: A woman’s satitva and auspicious conduct are celebrated as spiritually potent, worthy of divine praise and boon-bestowal.
Application: Honor and cultivate auspicious habits—truth, fidelity, kindness, cleanliness, prayer—so the home becomes a dharmic sanctuary.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Indra, crowned and radiant, gestures toward a modest yet luminous woman whose presence seems to calm the entire assembly. Beside her stands her husband; the scene is not sensual but auspicious—her ‘mangala’ appears as a soft halo, like Lakshmi’s grace resting on a truthful home.","primary_figures":["Indra","Virtuous wife (satī, mahābhāgā)","Husband","Assembled devas/gandharvas (background)"],"setting":"A celestial pavilion with jeweled canopy and lotus-carved pillars; garlands and incense drift in the air.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo","gold","lotus rose","white jasmine","emerald"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra with jeweled crown and gold-leaf halo praising a virtuous lady seated with serene dignity; ornate pavilion, rich crimson-green textiles, embossed gold background, gem-like highlights on ornaments, auspicious symbols (lotus, conch) subtly integrated.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court scene with Indra pointing gently toward the virtuous woman; delicate pastel clouds, cool indigo and jade palette, fine jewelry details, lyrical composition emphasizing calm auspiciousness rather than grandeur.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Indra and the satī rendered with bold outlines and stylized eyes; strong red-yellow-green pigments, symmetrical temple-wall layout, lotus motifs around the woman to signify mangala and śrī.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central auspicious lady framed by lotus vines and floral borders, Indra in attendance; deep blue ground with gold detailing, peacocks at corners, garland patterns suggesting mangala and household sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft bells","veena phrases","gentle hand-cymbals","celestial choir hum","incense-crackle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सभार्याय = स + भार्याय (सहार्थे समास/योग); भवंतो = भवन्तः (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); इंद्र = इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-लोप लेखन); चारुमंगला = चारु + मङ्गला (समास)।
FAQs
Indra is speaking, addressing honored beings who have assembled to grant a boon, and he refers to himself along with his wife.
It praises her as complete in admirable qualities (“sukalā”) and marked by attractive auspiciousness (“cāru-maṅgalā”), indicating virtue and good fortune.
“Satī” highlights moral integrity and steadfast virtue, presenting character and auspicious conduct as worthy of honor in sacred narrative contexts.