Shloka 4
The Slaying of Devāntaka, Durdharṣa, and Durmukha
न जानासि यतो धर्मं कालमृत्यु पुरःसरः । न रोगो न जरा कालो न मृत्युर्न च किंकरः
na jānāsi yato dharmaṃ kālamṛtyu puraḥsaraḥ | na rogo na jarā kālo na mṛtyurna ca kiṃkaraḥ
Kerana engkau tidak memahami dharma, maka Kala dan Maut berdiri di hadapanmu sebagai pendahulu. Tiada penyakit, tiada tua; tiada Kala, tiada kematian—dan tiada pula hamba yang melaksanakan kehendakmu.
Unspecified (contextual admonition within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narrative; exact speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: Ignorance of dharma invites the dominion of Time and Death; the verse uses mortality as a spur toward right order and spiritual urgency.
Application: Live with urgency: correct conduct now, reconcile conflicts, practice remembrance and discipline; don’t postpone dharma under the illusion of control.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Personified Time and Death stand like shadowy heralds before an arrogant figure who refuses dharma—Kāla as a dark, wheel-bearing presence and Mṛtyu as a stern, noose-holding force. The air feels heavy, as if the world itself pauses, warning that no one commands disease, age, or death.","primary_figures":["Kāla (personified Time)","Mṛtyu (personified Death)","rebuked figure (deluded being)","dharma-witnesses (sages/guardians)"],"setting":"liminal cosmic threshold—between battlefield and judgment hall, with a vast sky and a faint wheel (cakra) motif in the clouds","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["charcoal black","cold silver","deep indigo","smoke gray","pale saffron"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic confrontation with Kāla and Mṛtyu rendered iconically, gold leaf used sparingly as ominous highlights on the wheel and noose, the deluded figure in rich but darkened reds, ornate border with repeating cakra motifs, strong contrast between divine authority and mortal fear.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a haunting moonlit scene with cool indigo washes, delicate depiction of the wheel in the sky, Kāla and Mṛtyu as refined yet terrifying figures, expressive faces showing dread and warning, minimalistic landscape emphasizing emptiness and inevitability.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized fierce eyes for Kāla and Mṛtyu, rhythmic patterns on garments, strong red-yellow-green accents against deep blue, symbolic wheel and noose integrated into mural bands, temple-wall narrative intensity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: nocturnal cosmic tableau framed by intricate floral borders, deep blue cloth with gold detailing, central wheel motif above, Kāla and Mṛtyu symmetrically placed, the deluded figure below, decorative medallions suggesting the passage of time (lotus clocks, circular motifs)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low drum pulse","distant thunder","conch shell","heavy silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मृत्युर्न = मृत्युः + न (विसर्ग-सन्धि: उः + न → उर्न).
FAQs
It warns that ignorance of dharma brings one face-to-face with the inescapable forces of Time (kāla) and Death (mṛtyu), emphasizing moral accountability and the urgency of righteous living.
The phrase suggests they are already ‘ahead’ of a person—ever-present and leading the way—meaning one cannot outpace or evade them, especially when living without dharma.
It underscores human limitation: one cannot command away decay, illness, time, or death. Therefore, cultivating dharma is presented as the wise and meaningful use of life rather than relying on power, status, or control.