Shloka 78
Yayāti’s Summons to Heaven and the Teaching on Old Age, the Five-Element Body, and Self–Body Discernment
शोणितं चरते वह्निस्तद्वद्वीर्यं न संशयः । यक्ष्मरोगो भवेत्तस्मात्सर्वकायप्रणाशकः
śoṇitaṃ carate vahnistadvadvīryaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | yakṣmarogo bhavettasmātsarvakāyapraṇāśakaḥ
शोणिते वह्निः चरति, तद्वद्वीर्यं न संशयः। तस्मात् यक्ष्मरोगः भवति सर्वकायप्रणाशकः।
Unspecified (narrative/teaching voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; exact dialogue speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: Mismanaged inner heat and vital essence lead to systemic decay; restraint and right regimen protect life.
Application: Guard vitality through moderation, celibacy/continence as appropriate, balanced diet, and timely rest; treat chronic wasting early; avoid habits that inflame inner heat and deplete ojas.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative teaching scene where a sage illustrates the unseen ‘fire’ moving through the body like a subtle red-gold current within translucent veins. In the background, a frail figure symbolizes yakṣmā (consumption), while a steady lamp-flame and a lotus-bowl of water suggest disciplined living and restoration of ojas.","primary_figures":["teaching sage (ṛṣi)","a king (rājan) as listener","personification of Agni as subtle inner flame"],"setting":"A quiet hermitage pavilion with palm-leaf manuscripts, a small sacrificial fire, and a medicinal garden; anatomical motifs appear as symbolic overlays rather than graphic realism.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep vermilion","smoky amber","ash gray","sandalwood beige","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated ṛṣi instructing a crowned king beside a small homa-kuṇḍa; stylized inner Agni shown as a gold-leaf flame motif flowing through a faintly outlined human silhouette; ornate borders with lotus and conch patterns, rich reds and greens, heavy gold leaf highlights, gem-studded ornaments on the king, sacred calm yet cautionary mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a forest āśrama veranda with delicate linework; the sage gestures toward a subtle translucent figure with red-gold channels indicating inner fire; a thin, pale patient sits in the distance; cool natural palette with lyrical trees and distant hills, refined faces, understated symbolism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the sage and king in profile, inner Agni depicted as stylized flame bands across joints and torso; temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green dominance, large expressive eyes, sacred didactic tone.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional allegory where inner Agni is shown as a golden lamp-flame before a lotus pond; borders of tulasi and lotus motifs; subtle inclusion of Viṣṇu’s conch and discus emblems as protective symbols; intricate floral patterns, deep blues and gold, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","soft crackle of sacrificial fire","brief silence between pādas","distant night insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वह्निः + तद्वत् → वह्निस्तद्वत्; तद्वत् + वीर्यम् → तद्वद्वीर्यम्; भवेत् + तस्मात् → भवेत्तस्मात्; तस्मात् + सर्वकायप्रणाशकः → तस्मात्सर्वकायप्रणाशकः।
FAQs
Yakṣma-roga denotes a wasting/consumptive illness; in later medical usage it is often associated with tuberculosis-like consumption, characterized by progressive loss of bodily strength.
The verse uses “fire” as an image for an internally circulating, potent force—suggesting that blood and vital potency are dynamic carriers of life-energy, and their disturbance can lead to severe disease.
It implies bodily discipline and careful stewardship of vitality: reckless depletion or disturbance of vital forces is presented as leading to serious, body-destroying illness.