Shloka 13
The Cyavana Narrative
within the Glory of Guru-tīrtha, in the Vena Episode
बहुश्रेयः समायुक्तं चरित्रं च्यवनस्य च । इदं पुण्यं नरश्रेष्ठ आख्यानं पापनाशनम्
bahuśreyaḥ samāyuktaṃ caritraṃ cyavanasya ca | idaṃ puṇyaṃ naraśreṣṭha ākhyānaṃ pāpanāśanam
Ó melhor dos homens, esta narrativa sagrada, dotada de muitas bênçãos, trata da vida de Cyavana; é santa e destrói os pecados.
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Śravaṇa (devout listening) to a holy Vaiṣṇava ākhyāna is itself a sin-destroying purifier and a source of multi-fold welfare (bahu-śreyas).
Application: Make daily time for listening/reading sacred narratives with attention and faith; treat kathā as a sādhana, not mere entertainment.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage-narrator sits on a kusa-grass seat beneath a flowering aśvattha, holding a palm-leaf manuscript, while attentive listeners lean forward in devotion. Behind them, a subtle vision of Cyavana’s tapas and sanctity appears like a translucent vignette, suggesting the sin-destroying power of the tale itself.","primary_figures":["Sage-narrator (Purāṇika)","Cyavana (visionary vignette)","Devotee-listeners"],"setting":"Forest hermitage near a tīrtha-ghāṭa, with a small fire-altar, water pot, and manuscript stand","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","lotus pink","saffron gold","deep indigo","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated Purāṇika-sage reciting from a palm-leaf manuscript to kneeling devotees, with a radiant halo and gold-leaf aura; a small inset vision of Cyavana in austerity; rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on attendants, ornate arch framing, gold leaf embellishment emphasizing the words ‘pāpa-nāśana’.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate sage under a flowering tree, listeners in soft profiles, a riverbank hermitage hinted in the background; cool greens and blues, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, a faint misty vignette of Cyavana’s tapas floating above like a cloud-thought.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red-yellow-green pigments; the narrator-sage with large expressive eyes, manuscript in hand, sacred fire and kalasha beside; a stylized aura behind Cyavana’s ascetic figure in the upper register, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional assembly framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; peacocks at the edges, a sanctified ghāṭa in the background; deep blues and gold accents, the narrative power symbolized by a lotus emerging near the manuscript stand."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","crackling sacrificial fire","distant flowing water","evening insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: बहुश्रेयः = बहु + श्रेयः (विसर्ग-सन्धि/रूप); नरश्रेष्ठ (नर-श्रेष्ठ) तत्पुरुष; पापनाशनम् = पाप + नाशनम्
FAQs
Cyavana is a revered ṛṣi (sage) whose life-story (caritra) is presented as a meritorious narrative, traditionally associated with spiritual benefit and moral instruction.
It describes the account as puṇya (holy/meritorious) and pāpanāśana (destroyer of sins), implying spiritual purification through hearing or reciting it.
The phrase highlights that the narrative is ‘endowed with many forms of śreyas’—well-being and higher good—suggesting it offers layered benefits: moral uplift, spiritual merit, and guidance toward righteous living.