Shloka 55
The Story of Sudevā and Śivaśarman (within the Sukalā Narrative): Pride, Neglect, and Household Discipline
हयं च ताडयेद्धीरो गजं मात्रो दिनेदिने । शिक्षाबुद्ध्या प्रसिध्यंति ताडनात्पालनाद्विभो
hayaṃ ca tāḍayeddhīro gajaṃ mātro dinedine | śikṣābuddhyā prasidhyaṃti tāḍanātpālanādvibho
विभो, धीरो विवेकी च नरः प्रतिदिनं मात्रया हयं गजं च ताडयेत्। शिक्षाबुद्ध्या ताडनपालनाभ्यां ते सुसंस्कृताः भवन्ति।
Unspecified (context not provided in input; likely a didactic narrator addressing a respected interlocutor as 'vibho').
Concept: True correction is purposeful and paired with protection; steady, measured guidance forms character over time.
Application: In parenting, leadership, and self-discipline: correct promptly but proportionately; combine boundaries with consistent care; focus on long-term formation rather than venting anger.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A calm training ground at dawn: a discerning trainer stands between a noble horse and a young elephant, holding a light goad and a soft cloth, showing correction without cruelty. The animals respond with growing steadiness, while attendants offer water and fodder, emphasizing that discipline and care are inseparable.","primary_figures":["a dhīra (steadfast trainer/householder)","horse","elephant","attendants with water and fodder"],"setting":"royal stable-yard or forest-edge training arena with tether posts, water trough, and shaded trees","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","burnished gold","deep indigo","leaf green","terracotta red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a composed dhīra trainer in traditional attire stands in a stable courtyard, one hand gently guiding a horse, the other calming a young elephant; gold leaf halos around the central figures to symbolize dharma, rich red and green architectural borders, gem-studded ornaments on the animals’ harnesses, meticulous South Indian iconographic symmetry, emphasis on pālana (care) with attendants offering water and fodder.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical dawn in a Himalayan foothill stable-yard, delicate brushwork on the horse’s mane and elephant’s skin folds, cool blues and greens, refined faces of attendants, soft mist over distant hills, a gentle narrative of measured correction and compassionate care.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, earthy pigments, stylized stable courtyard with banana leaves and temple-like pillars, large expressive eyes on the human figures, the trainer’s poised stance conveying restraint, warm red/yellow/green palette with rhythmic decorative bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional allegory—stable courtyard framed by lotus and floral borders, peacocks perched on arches, cows in the periphery, deep blue background with gold detailing; the horse and elephant adorned like temple processional animals, emphasizing dharma as sacred order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells in distance","hoof and footfall on packed earth","gentle elephant breath","morning birdsong","water poured into a trough"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ताडयेद्धीरो = ताडयेत् + धीरः; दिनेदिने is repetition (locative) ‘दिने दिने’; ताडनात्पालनाद्विभो = ताडनात् + पालनात् + विभो.
FAQs
It teaches that effective training requires consistency and moderation, combining corrective discipline with ongoing care.
They are powerful animals that require skilled handling; the verse uses them to illustrate that guidance must be firm yet measured and supported by proper upkeep.
The verse implies that correction without care becomes harshness, and care without correction becomes indulgence; right conduct balances both for genuine improvement.