Shloka 35
The Legend of Hemakuṇḍala: Charity, Decline of the Sons, and Yama’s Judgment
शार्दूलेन हतो ज्येष्ठः कनिष्ठः सर्पदंशितः । एकस्मिन्दिवसे राजन्पापिष्ठौ निधनं गतौ
śārdūlena hato jyeṣṭhaḥ kaniṣṭhaḥ sarpadaṃśitaḥ | ekasmindivase rājanpāpiṣṭhau nidhanaṃ gatau
O mais velho foi morto por um tigre, e o mais novo foi mordido por uma serpente. Num só dia, ó Rei, aqueles dois, os mais pecadores, encontraram a morte.
Unspecified (narrator addressing a king: 'rājan')
Concept: Pāpa can ripen abruptly; violent living invites violent ends—karma may strike swiftly and symmetrically.
Application: Do not postpone reform; cultivate protective dharma—compassion, restraint, and devotion—because life’s end can arrive in a single day.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a single ominous day, the elder hunter lies fallen beneath a striped tiger’s shadow near a rocky thicket, while elsewhere the younger collapses as a serpent recoils after its bite. The scene is split like a moral diptych, emphasizing simultaneity and the inescapable precision of karmic consequence.","primary_figures":["elder hunter","younger hunter","tiger","serpent"],"setting":"two-part wilderness scene: rocky forest edge for the tiger attack; dense undergrowth with a coiled serpent for the bite","lighting_mood":"storm-brewing gloom with sharp highlights","color_palette":["charcoal black","tiger orange","leaf green","stone gray","blood red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic dual-panel composition—left: tiger overpowering the elder near stylized rocks; right: serpent striking the younger amid ornate foliage; gold leaf used sparingly on borders and weapon ornaments to heighten contrast; deep reds, greens, and blacks with traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined split narrative with delicate forest detailing; tiger rendered with elegant stripes, serpent with sinuous grace; subdued yet tense palette, expressive faces showing shock; atmospheric clouds suggesting fate closing in.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic tiger and serpent scenes with bold outlines and strong color blocks; heightened eyes and gestures; rhythmic foliage patterns; red-yellow-green pigments with dark indigo background and temple-mural framing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical diptych framed by lotus borders—tiger and serpent as karmic agents; deep blue ground with gold floral filigree; stylized trees and patterned textiles; emphasis on moral lesson through decorative symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sudden roar","hissing strike","thunder rumble","forest silence after violence","conch-like low drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: एकस्मिन्दिवसे = एकस्मिन् + दिवसे; राजन्पापिष्ठौ = राजन् + पापिष्ठौ (n-sandhi).
FAQs
It states that two men—an elder and a younger—died on the same day: the elder killed by a tiger and the younger bitten by a snake.
By calling them 'most sinful,' the verse frames their sudden deaths as consequences associated with grave wrongdoing, reinforcing the Purāṇic theme that pāpa leads to suffering and untimely ends.
The verse is spoken to a king, but this single śloka does not identify which king; the broader chapter context is needed to name the addressee and speaker with certainty.