Shloka 48
Protection of Brāhmaṇas
बलिं विनापि भो ब्रह्मन्तदा विप्रसुतं नय
baliṃ vināpi bho brahmantadā viprasutaṃ naya
Wahai Brahmana, sekalipun tanpa persembahan bali, bawalah pergi putera sang vipra (brahmana) itu.
Unspecified (context-dependent; speaker not identifiable from this single pāda alone)
Concept: Ends do not justify means; violating dharma to secure a boon corrupts the rite and binds one to sin.
Application: Refuse ‘shortcuts’ that harm others; when pressured by authority, anchor decisions in ethics and seek lawful alternatives.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king’s hand cuts the air in a sharp command toward the sage, while the sacrificial fire flares as if reacting to the moral rupture. In the background, attendants recoil; the imagined ‘vipra-suta’ is symbolized by a small cradle-like motif or a faint silhouette, emphasizing the gravity of seizing another’s child.","primary_figures":["king (commanding)","sage/brahmin (addressed as brahman)","court attendants","priests (alarmed)"],"setting":"yajña-hall with blazing altar, ritual vessels, and tense courtly space","lighting_mood":"firelit dramatic","color_palette":["blood red","ember orange","soot black","pale ash","metallic gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: intense moment—king issuing a forceful आदेश to a sage beside a roaring yajña-fire; gold leaf flames and throne details, deep reds and blacks for tension, gem-studded ornaments, expressive hand gestures, ornate arch and lotus border amplifying drama.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dramatic interior with flickering firelight; king’s sharp gesture contrasted with sage’s restrained posture; attendants in startled poses; delicate smoke and shadow play, refined faces showing moral conflict.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and heightened expressions; central stylized fire; king in commanding stance, sage calm but firm; red-yellow-green palette with dark accents, temple-wall texture, ornamental creepers framing the ethical confrontation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative tableau with central flame and surrounding figures; deep indigo ground with gold floral borders; symbolic cradle motif near the edge to suggest the ‘vipra-suta’; intricate patterns, peacocks turned away as omen, lotus motifs around the altar."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["fire roar","sudden conch blast (sharp)","metal vessels clinking","collective gasp","tense silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: brahmantadā = brahman + tadā; viprasutaṃ = vipra-sutam (compound).
FAQs
Here “bali” refers to a ritual offering or oblation; the line indicates an action to be taken “even without” making that offering.
“Brahman” is a respectful form of address meaning “O Brahmin.” The exact individual cannot be confirmed from this isolated line without surrounding verses.
The phrase suggests a coercive or punitive act involving a Brahmin’s child, raising questions of dharma, authority, and the consequences of ritual omission—clarified only by the broader narrative context.