Shloka 20
Diti’s Lament
On the Fall of the Daityas and the Futility of Grief
वह्निं प्राप्य यथा सर्वे शलभा यांति संक्षयम् । तथा ते दानवाः सर्वे हरिं प्राप्य क्षयं गताः
vahniṃ prāpya yathā sarve śalabhā yāṃti saṃkṣayam | tathā te dānavāḥ sarve hariṃ prāpya kṣayaṃ gatāḥ
Как все мотыльки, достигнув огня, идут к погибели, так и все те данавы, встретив Хари, пришли к своему концу.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (narrative voice)
Concept: Approaching the divine with hostility or ego leads to ruin; the same divine radiance that liberates devotees destroys demonic intent.
Application: Examine what you are ‘drawn to’ by mere glitter—anger, power, intoxicating desires; redirect attraction into bhakti and disciplined choices.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ring of moths spirals toward a bright sacrificial flame, their wings catching the light as they vanish into the blaze. In the same composition, a luminous Hari stands as a cosmic ‘flame of dharma,’ while shadowy dānava forms rush toward him and dissolve into radiance.","primary_figures":["Hari (Vishnu)","Dānavas (shadowy forms)","Moths (śalabha)","Agni (sacrificial flame as symbol)"],"setting":"Twilight near a yajña-fire on a riverless plain; the scene blends natural close-up (moths) with cosmic allegory (Hari’s radiance)","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit with divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo twilight","flame gold","ivory white","deep teal","soot black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu as a radiant central icon with gold leaf aura; below, a stylized yajña-kunda with gem-like embers; moths rendered as delicate gold flecks; dānava silhouettes dissolving into the halo; rich reds/greens in ornamental borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate nocturnal scene with a small fire and swirling moths; soft gradients in the sky; Vishnu’s presence suggested as a luminous, serene figure in the background; delicate brushwork capturing wing shimmer and smoke wisps.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; a bright yellow-red flame with rhythmic moth arcs; Vishnu’s blue form with large expressive eyes; dānava figures simplified into dark shapes approaching and fading; strong compositional symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central radiant Vishnu framed by lotus borders; moths stylized as repeating motifs around a flame mandala; deep blue ground with gold highlights; intricate floral patterns symbolizing attraction and dissolution into the divine."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle fire crackle","night insects","low tanpura drone","brief conch at cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यान्ति (IAST yāṃti) = यान्ति. अन्यत्र विशेष सन्धि नहीं।
FAQs
The verse compares the Dānavas approaching Hari to moths flying into a flame—an image of inevitable self-destruction when confronting overpowering divine force.
By presenting Hari (Viṣṇu) as the decisive, unsurpassable power before whom demonic forces cannot endure, it reinforces Viṣṇu’s role as protector and restorer of dharma.
It implies that reckless aggression and adharma lead to ruin—especially when directed against the divine or the upholders of dharma—much like a moth’s fatal attraction to fire.