Shloka 16
The Slaying of Vṛtrāsura
Vṛtra’s Death, Indra’s Sin, and Brahmin Censure
सुरापानं कुरुष्वेह पिबस्व मधुमाधवीम् । तामुवाच विशालाक्षीं रंभां शशिनिभाननाम्
surāpānaṃ kuruṣveha pibasva madhumādhavīm | tāmuvāca viśālākṣīṃ raṃbhāṃ śaśinibhānanām
«Bebe licor aqui; bebe este vinho mādhavī, doce como mel.» Assim se dirigiu a Rambhā, a de grandes olhos, cujo rosto era como a lua.
Unspecified speaker addressing Rambhā (apsaras)
Concept: Temptation often arrives clothed in beauty and sweetness; discernment is tested before any overt fall occurs.
Application: Treat flattering invitations to harmful habits as a dharma-test; pause, remember vows/values, and choose restraint over social pressure.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a jeweled celestial pavilion, Rambhā—large-eyed and moon-faced—extends a golden cup of honeyed mādhavī wine toward a hesitant learned man. The moment is suspended between fragrance and peril: garlands sway, anklets chime, and the cup gleams like a small sun, inviting a single fateful sip.","primary_figures":["Rambhā (apsaras)","learned brāhmaṇa youth (unnamed)","attendant gandharvas (optional)"],"setting":"Celestial court/pavilion with lotus-carved pillars, silk drapes, flower-strewn floor, wine vessel on a low gem-inlaid table","lighting_mood":"moonlit with soft divine radiance","color_palette":["lotus pink","pearl white","sapphire blue","antique gold","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Rambhā with large expressive eyes and moonlike face offers a gold cup of mādhavī wine to a hesitant brahmin youth; ornate arch and lotus pillars behind, heavy gold leaf embellishment on jewelry and cup, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, intricate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical palace terrace under a cool moon, Rambhā in delicate translucent garments extending a small golden cup; the brahmin youth recoils slightly with a raised palm; fine brushwork, refined faces, soft gradients, distant hills and flowering trees, cool blues and pale pinks, intimate narrative mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and stylized eyes, Rambhā offering the cup in a temple-like celestial hall; flat yet vibrant natural pigments—red, yellow, green—ornate jewelry patterns, lotus motifs, rhythmic composition emphasizing the gesture of temptation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate pavilion framed by lotus vines and floral borders; Rambhā offering a golden cup, peacocks and flowering creepers around; deep indigo background with gold detailing, intricate textile-like patterning, devotional-meets-narrative aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft ankle bells","distant lute (veena)","perfumed breeze implied by chimes","low temple bell undertone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुरुष्वेह = कुरुष्व + इह; तामुवाच = ताम् + उवाच; शय्यांते इत्यादिवत् अत्र न।
FAQs
Rambhā is a famous apsaras (celestial nymph) in Sanskrit literature, often appearing in narratives involving allure, temptation, or tests of virtue.
It refers to a honey-sweet intoxicating drink—often understood as mādhavī wine (a springtime/flower-associated liquor), emphasized here as alluring and pleasant.
The verse presents an invitation to intoxication as a form of enticement; in Purāṇic storytelling this commonly functions as a narrative device to test restraint (saṃyama) and discernment (viveka).