Shloka 18
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Birth and Boon; Puṣkara’s Glory; Rāma’s Śrāddha; Refuge-Hymn to Śiva
ततस्त ऋषयो राजन्सर्वं तस्मै न्यवेदयन् । पुत्रो मृकंडोः क्षीणायुः सायुषं कुरु बालकम्
tatasta ṛṣayo rājansarvaṃ tasmai nyavedayan | putro mṛkaṃḍoḥ kṣīṇāyuḥ sāyuṣaṃ kuru bālakam
Kemudian para resi, wahai Raja, mempersembahkan segala hal kepadanya: “Putera Mṛkaṇḍu berusia pendek—jadikanlah anak ini berusia panjang.”
Narrator (contextual address to a King); the sages are the immediate speakers conveying a request
Concept: Satsanga with rishis and humble petitioning can invite grace that transforms a seemingly fixed destiny.
Application: Seek counsel from wise, virtuous people in crises; respond to fear with prayerful action rather than despair.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of austere sages with matted locks and bark garments stands before a concerned king in a pillared hall. Their hands are raised in respectful report, and in the air hangs the urgent message: a child’s life is short, yet grace may extend it.","primary_figures":["King (unnamed)","Group of ṛṣis","Mṛkaṇḍu (implied)","Short-lived child (implied)"],"setting":"royal court with carved pillars, deer-skin seats for sages, palm-leaf manuscripts, incense smoke curling upward","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","smoke gray","deep maroon","antique gold","sage green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian royal sabhā with a worried king on a jeweled throne facing a semicircle of rishis; gold leaf halos around the sages, rich red-and-green textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars, and a subtle lotus motif hinting at Padma Purāṇa’s origin; expressive hand-gestures conveying the plea to make Mṛkaṇḍu’s child long-lived.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate court scene with delicate linework—rishis in soft ochres and whites addressing a king; lyrical architecture, patterned carpets, and a gentle sense of urgency in the figures’ postures; cool shadows and refined faces, with a small window opening to a distant river plain.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; the king and rishis arranged frontally in a temple-like hall, large stylized eyes, red-yellow-green palette, sacred aura around the sages, and rhythmic ornamental borders with lotus and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a narrative panel framed by intricate floral borders; sages and king depicted with stylized elegance, lotus clusters and subtle Vaishnava symbols (conch, discus) in the margins; deep indigo background with gold highlights, evoking divine providence behind the human plea."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low court ambience","incense crackle","distant conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ततस्त = ततः ते; राजन्सर्वम् = राजन् सर्वम्; न्यवेदयन् = नि-अवेदयन् (उपसर्ग-संयोग); क्षीणायुः/सायुषम् = समास (कर्मधारय)
FAQs
The sages inform a king (or a principal listener addressed as “O King”) that Mṛkaṇḍu’s son is destined to be short-lived and ask that the child be made long-lived.
It reflects the Purāṇic motif of destiny (limited lifespan) being met with spiritual intervention—sages seeking a boon or divine remedy to transform a life’s allotted span.
Compassionate concern for others and reliance on higher spiritual authority are emphasized: the sages advocate for the child’s welfare and seek a righteous means to avert suffering.