Shloka 14
The Origin of the Lauhitya River
and the King of Tīrthas
अद्भुतं तं शवं दृष्ट्वा तामुचुस्ते च विस्मिताः । कथं च निधनं त्वस्य संभूतं ब्रूहि सुंदरि
adbhutaṃ taṃ śavaṃ dṛṣṭvā tāmucuste ca vismitāḥ | kathaṃ ca nidhanaṃ tvasya saṃbhūtaṃ brūhi suṃdari
Melihat mayat yang menakjubkan itu, mereka berkata kepadanya dengan hairan: “Bagaimanakah kematiannya terjadi? Ceritakanlah, wahai wanita jelita.”
Unnamed observers/people addressing a woman (sundarī)
Concept: Events that shock the community invite truthful narration; speaking truth (satya) clarifies karma and reinforces social dharma.
Application: When confronted with disturbing outcomes, seek causes without gossip—ask respectfully, listen fully, and let truth guide reform.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A small crowd gathers at dawn around an uncanny corpse; faces show awe and fear rather than mere horror. At the center stands the addressed woman—composed, luminous, and burdened with the duty to speak truth as all eyes turn to her.","primary_figures":["astonished townspeople/guards","woman (sundarī)","corpse"],"setting":"open courtyard or lane near the house, dawn light, onlookers forming a semicircle","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["pale gold","stone gray","saffron cloth","deep brown","sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: semicircle of astonished figures around the corpse, the woman centered with dignified posture; gold leaf highlights on dawn sky and ornaments, rich reds/greens in garments, expressive faces, ornate border emphasizing the ‘adbhuta’ mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined crowd scene with delicate expressions of wonder, the woman calm amid murmuring onlookers; soft dawn hues, architectural details of a village courtyard, subtle narrative clarity and emotional restraint.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized faces; the crowd’s widened eyes convey astonishment; warm dawn disc overhead; decorative borders with lotus and conch motifs to hint at Purāṇic moral theater.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: crowd arranged like a devotional tableau; lotus motifs and floral borders; deep blue-to-gold gradient sky; peacocks and cows at the periphery as symbolic witnesses; the woman framed by ornate patterns suggesting truth emerging from wonder."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crowd murmurs","morning birds","staff taps on stone","distant temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तामुचुः = ताम् + ऊचुः; त्वस्य = तु + अस्य.
FAQs
The verse indicates a group of astonished onlookers addressing a woman; her specific identity is not stated in this single shloka and is typically clarified by surrounding verses.
It serves as a prompt for explanation—introducing curiosity and establishing a dialogue where the woman is asked to narrate the cause of a man’s death.
The verse frames death as something with a discernible cause (nidhanam… saṃbhūtam), inviting reflection on karma, circumstance, or moral causality—topics commonly developed in the subsequent narration.