Shloka 58
Episode of Vena: The Power of Association and Revā (Narmadā) Tīrtha
ताडनात्ताडनं दुष्टे न कुर्वंति महाजनाः । आक्रुष्टा नैव कुप्यंति इति धर्मस्य संस्थितिः
tāḍanāttāḍanaṃ duṣṭe na kurvaṃti mahājanāḥ | ākruṣṭā naiva kupyaṃti iti dharmasya saṃsthitiḥ
Благородные не отвечают ударом на удар, когда их бьёт злодей; даже будучи оскорблены, они не гневаются — так утверждён путь дхармы.
Unspecified (narratorial/gnomic instruction within the chapter context)
Concept: Mahājanas do not repay harm with harm; restraint under insult is dharma’s stable foundation.
Application: Practice non-retaliation: if attacked verbally/physically, prioritize de-escalation, seek protection through lawful means, and keep the mind free from hatred.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic tableau: a venerable elder points gently toward a calm ascetic who remains unshaken despite being struck, while the aggressor’s raised hand hangs suspended in shame. The composition emphasizes stillness—steady breath, lowered gaze, and the quiet authority of dharma.","primary_figures":["Elder teacher/narrator figure","Tapasvin (ideal mahājana)","Aggressor (wicked person)"],"setting":"Hermitage teaching space with students seated, a low platform, palm-leaf manuscripts, and a small lamp—like a forest gurukula.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","sandalwood beige","sage green","terracotta","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dharma-teacher with gold leaf halo instructing, the serene ascetic seated in composure, aggressor depicted with softened posture; ornate borders, rich reds/greens, gold leaf on lamp and halos, traditional iconographic symmetry conveying moral order.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle moral scene with refined faces—teacher’s hand in upadeśa-mudrā, ascetic tranquil, aggressor subdued; soft dawn sky, delicate trees, cool yet warm-balanced palette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong outlines and didactic clarity—teacher and ascetic in luminous yellows/greens, aggressor in darker tones; stylized manuscript and lamp motifs, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central serene figure framed by lotus and floral borders; symbolic motifs of balanced scales and calm waters; deep blue background with gold script-like ornamentation emphasizing ‘dharma-saṃsthiti’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle flowing water","morning birds","long pauses (silence)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ताडनात्ताडनं = ताडनात् + ताडनम्; कुर्वंति = कुर्वन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); कुप्यंति = कुप्यन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद).
FAQs
It teaches non-retaliation and forgiveness: the virtuous do not return violence for violence, and they restrain anger even when insulted.
It specifically praises inner restraint—avoiding retaliatory harm and anger—rather than describing legal or social responses; it frames self-control as a hallmark of dharma.
Here it means noble or exemplary persons—those established in dharma—whose conduct sets a standard for ethical behavior.