Shloka 25
The Story of Sukalā
Episode: Ugrasena and Padmāvatī’s Return to Vidarbha
निःशंका वर्तते विप्र सखीभिः सह सर्वदा । पतिव्रता महाभागा हर्षेण महतान्विता
niḥśaṃkā vartate vipra sakhībhiḥ saha sarvadā | pativratā mahābhāgā harṣeṇa mahatānvitā
निःशङ्का वर्तते विप्र सखीभिः सह सर्वदा; पतिव्रता महाभागा महता हर्षेण समन्विता।
Unspecified narrator/speaker addressing a brāhmaṇa (vipra) in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue context
Concept: Steadfast dharma (pativratā) and good company (sakhī-saṅga) generate fearlessness and joy.
Application: Cultivate supportive friendships, keep vows and responsibilities with integrity, and let devotion express as reliability and care in relationships.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene noblewoman, adorned simply yet radiantly, walks without fear among close companions, her posture calm and dignified. The atmosphere suggests inner protection—like an unseen halo of dharma—while gentle smiles and soft gestures convey quiet joy.","primary_figures":["Sukalā (or the unnamed pativratā heroine)","sakhīs (female companions)"],"setting":"A refined garden path near a household grove, with flowering shrubs and a distant hint of a temple spire or sacred tree.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green","soft gold","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a pativratā heroine with serene face and modest jewelry walking with two or three sakhīs in a palace-garden corridor, subtle Vishnu-lakṣaṇa motifs (conch/lotus patterns) in the background, gold leaf halo-like aura around the central figure, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian textile borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate-featured heroine with sakhīs strolling in a terraced garden, lyrical trees and small blossoms, cool greens and blues, gentle mountain silhouettes far away, refined linework and soft shading emphasizing calm joy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, central pativratā figure with large expressive eyes and calm smile, companions flanking her, stylized garden foliage, warm red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall aesthetic with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional garden scene with lotus and creeper borders, central heroine and sakhīs beneath stylized flowering trees, peacocks at the edges, deep blue background with gold highlights, intricate floral motifs suggesting auspiciousness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","morning birds","gentle breeze through leaves","distant conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mahatānvitā = mahatā anvitā; niḥśaṃkā is adjective agreeing with implied subject (Padmāvatī/सा).
FAQs
The verse highlights pativratā-dharma (steadfast devotion to one’s husband) and the inner fearlessness (niḥśaṅkā) and joy said to accompany righteous conduct.
The address “vipra” indicates the verse is spoken within a dialogue where the listener is a brāhmaṇa; it functions as a respectful vocative and anchors the statement in a didactic, dharma-focused conversation.
It presents an ideal of character: consistent virtue and loyalty are portrayed as producing social harmony (being with friends) and psychological stability (freedom from anxiety) along with enduring happiness.