Shloka 7
The Account of Sukalā and the Greatness of Nārī-tīrtha
Wife-Assisted Śrāddha and Pitṛ-Liberation
विष्णुरुवाच । एवमुक्त्वा च तं वैश्यं गतो धर्मो यथागतम् । कृकलोपि स धर्मात्मा स्वगृहं प्रतिप्रस्थितः
viṣṇuruvāca | evamuktvā ca taṃ vaiśyaṃ gato dharmo yathāgatam | kṛkalopi sa dharmātmā svagṛhaṃ pratiprasthitaḥ
Viṣṇu disse: Tendo assim falado àquele mercador, Dharma partiu, retornando pelo caminho de onde viera. E Kṛkala também—reto de coração—pôs-se novamente a caminho de sua própria casa.
Viṣṇu
Concept: After receiving right instruction, dharma is re-established through returning to one’s proper station; divine speech catalyzes ethical correction.
Application: When corrected by wise counsel, act promptly—repair duties, return to commitments, and let insight become behavior.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Vishnu stands in calm majesty, hand raised in gentle instruction, while the merchant listens with folded palms. As the teaching concludes, a personified Dharma—radiant yet austere—turns and departs along the same path, and Kṛkala begins his journey home with renewed steadiness.","primary_figures":["Vishnu","Dharma (personified)","the merchant (vaiśya)","Kṛkala"],"setting":"a roadside grove or wayside rest spot with a visible path receding into the distance; simple travel bundles and a staff; subtle aura around Vishnu","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","white jasmine","forest green","sunset amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu instructing a merchant at a roadside grove, Dharma personified departing along a path; lavish gold leaf for Vishnu’s crown, halo, and ornaments; rich reds/greens in textiles; gem-studded details; symmetrical devotional composition with ornate arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative roadside scene with delicate trees and a winding path; Vishnu serene, merchant attentive; Dharma as a luminous figure walking away; cool greens and soft ambers, refined faces, gentle storytelling clarity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Vishnu with bold outlines and large expressive eyes, merchant in respectful posture; Dharma departing in profile; natural pigments, temple-wall aesthetic, ornamental borders emphasizing moral resolution.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vishnu-centered composition with ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; deep blues and gold; include stylized path and departing Dharma in upper register; intricate textile patterns and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft conch","footsteps on path","rustling leaves","brief bell chime"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विष्णुरुवाच = विष्णुः + उवाच; कृकलोपि = कृकलः + अपि; यथागतम् = यथा + आगतम्; स्वगृहं = स्व + गृहम्
FAQs
The speaker is Viṣṇu. The verse narrates that after addressing the merchant, Dharma departs as he came, and Kṛkala, described as virtuous, begins his return home.
“Dharmātmā” highlights inner moral character—righteous intent and adherence to dharma—implying that the outcome of the episode is framed through virtue and ethical conduct rather than mere external status.
The Purāṇic style often personifies abstract principles. Depicting Dharma as arriving, instructing, and departing underscores dharma as an active, guiding force that tests, teaches, and then withdraws once the lesson is delivered.