Shloka 16
The Yayāti Episode: Succession and Royal Dharma Instructions to Pūru
प्रजानां पालनं पुण्यं कर्तव्यं च सदानघ । दुष्टानां शासनं नित्यं साधूनां परिपालनम्
prajānāṃ pālanaṃ puṇyaṃ kartavyaṃ ca sadānagha | duṣṭānāṃ śāsanaṃ nityaṃ sādhūnāṃ paripālanam
प्रजानां पालनं पुण्यं नित्यं कर्तव्यमेव ते, अनघ। दुष्टानां शासनं नित्यं, साधूनां परिपालनम्॥
Pulastya (to Bhīṣma) [traditional Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue frame]
Concept: Rāja-dharma: protect the people, punish the wicked, and safeguard the virtuous—this is enduring merit.
Application: In leadership roles (family, workplace, civic), combine care with accountability: protect the vulnerable, set boundaries, and reward integrity.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A righteous king stands before his subjects at the palace gate, one hand raised in assurance of protection, the other holding a staff of justice. To one side, a repentant wrongdoer is restrained; to the other, sages and honest citizens are honored and sheltered beneath the royal parasol.","primary_figures":["Pulastya (as teaching sage, optional overlay)","Bhīṣma (listener, optional)","Ideal righteous king","Subjects (farmers, merchants, women, children)","Sages/virtuous people","Wrongdoer being judged"],"setting":"City gate or court of justice with a visible public square; a small shrine to Viṣṇu in the background to signal dharmic legitimacy.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["white jasmine","saffron","steel gray","peacock blue","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ideal king dispensing justice—protecting citizens, honoring sādhus, punishing the wicked; gold leaf on parasol, ornaments, and shrine; rich reds/greens; symmetrical composition; devotional Viṣṇu icon in background with ornate arch.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: civic scene at city gate with nuanced expressions—comforted citizens, calm sages, chastened offender; delicate brushwork, cool palette, lyrical trees, refined architecture, moral clarity without harshness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic justice tableau with bold outlines; king centered with danda, sages at right, offender at left; red/yellow/green pigments, temple-wall aesthetic, large eyes conveying dharmic firmness.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: dharma-protection scene framed by lotus and floral borders; deep blue and gold; peacocks and cows at margins as symbols of protected prosperity; a small Viṣṇu shrine motif anchoring the Vaishnava ethos."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","public square ambience (soft)","conch shell (ceremonial)","staff tap (danda)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सदानघ → सदा + अनघ (समास/कर्मधारय).
FAQs
It defines rāja-dharma: a ruler’s duty is to protect the people, restrain wrongdoing through just punishment, and actively safeguard the virtuous.
Yes. It treats śāsana (discipline/punishment) of the wicked as a continual obligation of governance, paired with protection of the good.
It reflects the Purāṇic emphasis on social order (dharma) upheld by responsible leadership: public welfare, justice toward wrongdoers, and protection of righteous conduct.