Shloka 26
Account of the Ripening of Karma
Childlessness, Offspring, and Remedial Dharma
व्यास उवाच । राजन्शृणुष्व यत्पृष्टमपुत्रो येन कर्मणा । तवेयं राज्ञी चापुत्री चैकपत्नीव्रतस्तथा
vyāsa uvāca | rājanśṛṇuṣva yatpṛṣṭamaputro yena karmaṇā | taveyaṃ rājñī cāputrī caikapatnīvratastathā
Vyāsa bersabda: “Wahai Raja, dengarlah apa yang engkau tanyakan—melalui amalan karma apakah orang yang tidak berputera dapat memperoleh putera. Permaisurimu juga tidak beranak, dan dia teguh dalam ekapati-vrata, iaitu nazar setia kepada seorang suami sahaja.”
Vyāsa
Concept: A problem of lineage is approached through dharmic counsel and prescribed action (karma/vrata), not despair.
Application: When facing lack or grief, seek scriptural guidance, adopt disciplined vows, and align household life with fidelity and devotion rather than anxiety.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a lamp-lit royal sabhā, Vyāsa—matted hair, serene eyes—raises a hand in instruction while the king sits with folded palms, worry softening into hope. Behind a gauzy curtain, the childless queen listens, her single-husband vow symbolized by a lone lamp and a single garland.","primary_figures":["Vyāsa","the King (Rājā)","the Queen (Rājñī)","court sages/attendants"],"setting":"royal court with carved pillars, palm-leaf manuscripts, a small altar with a conch and lotus vessel","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","sandalwood beige","emerald green","smoky indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vyāsa seated on a low āsana in a royal sabhā, right hand in teaching gesture, king in añjali-mudrā, queen partially veiled behind a pillar; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments on the king, ornate arch framing the scene, lotus motifs on the floor border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court interior with delicate linework; Vyāsa calm and luminous, king attentive; soft textiles, muted jewel tones, refined faces, a small manuscript stand and water pot; subtle emotional tension conveyed through posture and gaze.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm ochres and greens; Vyāsa with pronounced eyes and stylized beard, king and queen in traditional attire; symmetrical pillars, lamp flames, and a lotus medallion backdrop suggesting dharmic instruction.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional court tableau framed by floral borders and lotus creepers; incorporate a central lotus emblem hinting at Padma Purāṇa identity, peacocks at the border, deep blues and gold accents, stylized lamps and conch motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low court ambience","palm-leaf rustle","gentle tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजन्शृणुष्व = राजन् + शृणुष्व (न् + श → ञ्श्); यत्पृष्टम् = यत् + पृष्टम् (त् + प्); पृष्टमपुत्रो = पृष्टम् + अपुत्रः (म् + अ); चापुत्री = च + अपुत्री; चैकपत्नीव्रतः = च + एकपत्नीव्रतः.
FAQs
It introduces the king’s query about the appropriate action or religious means (karma) for overcoming childlessness, specifically the lack of a son/child.
It indicates the queen’s strict marital fidelity to one husband—an ethical vow presented as a virtue within the household (gṛhastha) ideal.
The verse frames counsel as dharmic guidance: legitimate desires (like progeny) should be pursued through right conduct and prescribed means rather than through adharma.