Shloka 57
Teaching on Karma-yoga
Discipline of Action as Worship
भवन्मध्यं तु राजन्यो वैश्यस्तु भवदुत्तरम् । मातरं वा स्वसारं वा मातुर्वा भगिनीं निजाम्
bhavanmadhyaṃ tu rājanyo vaiśyastu bhavaduttaram | mātaraṃ vā svasāraṃ vā māturvā bhaginīṃ nijām
“Wahai raja, Kṣatriya berada pada kedudukan pertengahan, dan Vaiśya ditempatkan di bawah tuanku. Dan janganlah seseorang mendekati secara tidak wajar: ibunya, saudara perempuannya, atau saudari ibunya sendiri (makcik).”
Unspecified (context not provided for speaker identification)
Concept: Maryādā (moral boundary) and kula-śuddhi: one must never transgress prohibited kin-relations; social rank is acknowledged but subordinated to ethical restraint.
Application: Maintain clear boundaries in family relationships; treat social roles responsibly without using them to justify misconduct; cultivate self-restraint as daily sādhana.
Primary Rasa: dharma
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn royal court where a sage instructs a king on dharma: behind them, a symbolic lotus-throne of Viṣṇu appears faintly, suggesting that social order is upheld under divine oversight. The composition contrasts the king’s regalia with the sage’s austere calm, while a subtle boundary motif—like a sacred cord or circular mandala—marks the inviolable limits of kinship.","primary_figures":["a dharma-teaching sage (Pulastya-like)","a listening king (Bhīṣma-like royal figure)","symbolic Vishnu-lotus aura (non-central)"],"setting":"royal sabhā with carved pillars, dharma-śāstra palm-leaf manuscripts, and a distant temple silhouette","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","sandalwood beige","indigo","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage seated on a low wooden āsana instructs a crowned king in a pillared court; gold leaf halo around the sage and a faint lotus-medallion of Viṣṇu in the background; rich reds and greens, ornate jewelry on the king, gem-studded borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, embossed gold detailing on manuscripts and pillars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined sage and king in a quiet court veranda, delicate linework and soft shading; cool indigo and rose tones; a thin mandala-circle on the floor symbolizing moral boundaries; distant temple spire and pale sky, lyrical restraint and gentle facial expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red/yellow/green pigments; sage with pronounced eyes and calm mudrā teaching dharma to a king; stylized lotus emblem behind them; temple-wall aesthetic with patterned borders and rhythmic ornamentation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion with subtle Viṣṇu symbolism above a courtly scene; ornate floral borders, peacocks at the margins; deep blues and gold; the sage’s instruction rendered as a moral tableau with decorative dharma motifs rather than narrative action."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells (soft)","low drone (tanpura)","court ambience (hushed)","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवन्मध्यं = भवत् + मध्यम्; वैश्यस्तु = वैश्यः + तु; भवदुत्तरम् = भवत् + उत्तरम्; मातुर्वा = मातुः + वा.
FAQs
It touches on dharma in two areas: social ranking (varna placement) and ethical prohibitions regarding close female relatives.
No. As given, it focuses on social-ethical instruction rather than a deity, pilgrimage site, or ritual.
It reinforces boundaries of conduct—recognizing social duties/roles and explicitly forbidding sexual impropriety with one’s mother, sister, or maternal aunt.