Shloka 90
The Tale of Sukalā: Testing Pativratā Fidelity and the Body-as-House Teaching
सकृमिः कुरुते स्फोटं कंडूं च परिदारुणाम् । व्यथामुत्पादयेद्यूका सर्वांगं परिचालयेत्
sakṛmiḥ kurute sphoṭaṃ kaṃḍūṃ ca paridāruṇām | vyathāmutpādayedyūkā sarvāṃgaṃ paricālayet
सकृमिः स्फोटान् जनयति, परिदारुणां कण्डूं च करोति; यूका व्यथां जनयित्वा सर्वाङ्गं निरन्तरं परिचालयति।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue; likely a narrator/teacher voice describing bodily afflictions)
Concept: Deha (the body) is a locus of affliction; dispassion toward bodily pleasure supports liberation-seeking.
Application: Cultivate cleanliness and restraint; use awareness of bodily vulnerability to reduce obsession with comfort and redirect attention to japa, seva, and sattvic living.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative sage instructs a listener while a symbolic human figure sits under a neem tree, scratching at erupting skin—an allegory of embodied suffering. In the background, a small shrine to Viṣṇu glows softly, suggesting the remedy is turning from bodily fixation to devotion.","primary_figures":["teaching sage (ṛṣi)","householder listener","symbolic human figure representing embodied jīva","Vishnu shrine icon (śālagrāma or four-armed Viṣṇu)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage edge with a simple kuṭīra, neem and tulasī plants nearby, a small stone altar with lamp and conch","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","ash gray","leaf green","lamp-flame gold","muted saffron"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated ṛṣi teaching a householder, with a small Viṣṇu shrine (śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma) behind them; symbolic figure showing skin eruptions at the margin as a moral allegory; heavy gold leaf halo around the shrine, rich maroon and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the deity icon, ornate arch (prabhāmaṇḍala) and temple lamp-lit ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet hermitage scene with delicate brushwork—sage and listener under a neem tree, a tiny tulasī planter and stone Viṣṇu altar; the suffering body shown subtly and tastefully as an allegorical vignette; cool greens and browns, refined faces, lyrical naturalism, distant blue hills and a winding path.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments—ṛṣi in ochre robes instructing, a stylized Viṣṇu shrine with large expressive eyes on the icon, and an allegorical figure indicating itching; red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, rhythmic foliage patterns and a glowing oil lamp.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central small Viṣṇu shrine framed by lotus and floral borders; at the lower register, a sage teaching about bodily suffering as a caution; peacocks and cows at the sides as auspicious motifs; deep indigo background with gold detailing, intricate vines, and a tulasī pot near the altar."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind through leaves","distant temple bell","low drone (tanpura)","brief silence after key words"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: व्यथामुत्पादयेद्यूका = व्यथाम् + उत्पादयेत् + यूका; सर्वांगं = सर्वाङ्गम् (अनुस्वार/दीर्घ-सन्धि लेखनभेद)
FAQs
It describes skin-worm infestation causing eruptions and intense itching, and lice causing pain and making the whole body restless.
Such lists commonly underscore the vulnerability and suffering inherent in embodied life, strengthening themes like detachment (vairāgya) and the need for dharmic or spiritual remedies in context.
Not explicitly in this single verse; it functions as descriptive support within a larger passage, typically used to illustrate the discomforts of the body and the consequent importance of higher aims.