Shloka 37
The Origin of the Daṇḍaka Forest and Rāma’s Dharma-Judgment
Vulture vs. Owl
प्रसादं कुरु सुश्रोणि कामोन्मत्तस्य कामिनि । त्वया रुद्धा मम प्राणा विशीर्यंति शुभानने
prasādaṃ kuru suśroṇi kāmonmattasya kāmini | tvayā ruddhā mama prāṇā viśīryaṃti śubhānane
ਹੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਕਮਰ ਵਾਲੀ! ਕਾਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਗਲ ਹੋਏ ਮੇਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰ। ਹੇ ਸ਼ੁਭ ਮੁਖੀ! ਤੇਰੇ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਰੋਕੇ ਗਏ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹ ਟੁੱਟ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।
Unspecified male lover (nāyaka) addressing a beloved woman (nāyikā) in dialogue
Concept: Kāma, when ungoverned, turns the mind into a supplicant; the verse implicitly contrasts sensual urgency with the Purāṇic ideal of restraint and right conduct.
Application: Notice craving as a bodily-mind storm; pause, breathe, and choose a dharmic response rather than demanding gratification from another.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palace corridor at dusk: a richly dressed nāyaka leans forward in urgent supplication, hands half-extended, while the nāyikā stands slightly turned away, her expression guarded—beauty framed by tension. The air feels heavy with perfume and unspoken boundaries, suggesting desire’s pressure rather than mutual harmony.","primary_figures":["nāyaka (male lover)","nāyikā (beloved woman)"],"setting":"royal inner chambers with carved pillars, silk curtains, scattered lotus petals, a distant lamp-lit alcove","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","lamp-gold","ivory","indigo","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: an ornate palace interior with carved pillars and silk drapery; the nāyaka in jewel-studded ornaments pleads with folded hands, the nāyikā in a rich sari turns away with restrained expression; gold leaf halos around figures used symbolically to show inner agitation; rich reds and greens, embossed gold detailing on textiles, traditional South Indian ornamentation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate palace veranda at twilight with delicate brushwork; the nāyikā stands near a curtain, eyes averted, while the nāyaka leans forward in yearning; cool indigo shadows, soft lotus-pink accents, refined facial features, lyrical mood with a small garden hinted beyond arches.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; stylized palace chamber with oil lamps; the nāyaka’s posture conveys pleading desire, the nāyikā’s stance conveys guarded dignity; dominant red, yellow, green with controlled detailing and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic reinterpretation—lotus motifs and floral borders framing a human drama; deep blue background with gold floral filigree; figures rendered in Nathdwara-inspired flat elegance, emphasizing emotion through gesture; intricate border patterns and lotus clusters."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft ankle-bells","distant palace silence","single oil-lamp crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कामोन्मत्तस्य = काम + उन्मत्तस्य; शुभानने = शुभ + आनने.
FAQs
It expresses intense desire and pleading, with a strong tone of separation/anguish (viraha) as the speaker claims his life-breath is failing without the beloved’s grace.
No. This shloka is a personal address within a dialogue and contains no explicit reference to deities, sacred geography, or creation narratives in its wording.
Read allegorically, the plea for “prasāda” (grace) can mirror the seeker’s dependence on compassionate acceptance—where withholding grace leads to inner distress and spiritual desiccation.