Shloka 73
मायया लोभयित्वा तु विष्णुः स्त्रीरूपसंश्रयः । आगत्य दानवान्प्राह दीयतां मे कमंडलुः
māyayā lobhayitvā tu viṣṇuḥ strīrūpasaṃśrayaḥ | āgatya dānavānprāha dīyatāṃ me kamaṃḍaluḥ
मायया तान् लोभयित्वा विष्णुः स्त्रीरूपं समाश्रित्य दानवान् उपगम्य प्रोवाच— “दीयतां मे कमण्डलुः।”
Viṣṇu (in a female form)
Concept: The Lord’s māyā can assume any form to protect dharma and restore balance.
Application: Use discernment: attractive appearances can be instruments of higher purposes; align cleverness with ethics rather than greed.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A radiant woman-form of Viṣṇu approaches a ring of astonished Dānavas, her gaze calm yet commanding. She extends a delicate hand toward a brass kamaṇḍalu, while a faint aura of divine illusion ripples like heat-haze around her, hinting at the cosmic stakes behind the flirtation.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (Mohinī-like female form)","Dānavas/Daityas"],"setting":"Mythic battlefield-camp near the amṛta vessel; banners, weapon racks, and a central pedestal holding the kamaṇḍalu.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance with dramatic chiaroscuro","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","molten gold","smoky indigo","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu in enchanting female form stands in tribhaṅga, haloed with thick gold-leaf prabhāmaṇḍala, reaching for a gem-inlaid brass kamaṇḍalu; Dānavas with ornate crowns and moustaches gaze spellbound; rich vermilion and emerald textiles, heavy gold jewelry, embossed floral borders, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a graceful celestial woman (Vishnu’s māyā-form) in translucent veil gestures toward a water-pot; daityas cluster with curious faces and curved swords at their sides; cool twilight sky, delicate linework, lyrical trees and distant hills, refined expressions and soft pastel shading.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments depict Mohinī-like Vishnu with large almond eyes, elaborate headgear, and layered ornaments; daityas in stylized armor surround the kamaṇḍalu; warm ochres, reds, greens, and a luminous yellow aura fill the temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central enchanting feminine Vishnu framed by lotus creepers and gold floral borders; attendants and daityas arranged symmetrically; deep blue ground with intricate white dot patterns, peacock-feather motifs, and a highlighted kamaṇḍalu as the focal sacred object."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","low temple drums","anklet chime","murmuring crowd","sudden hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: strīrūpasaṃśrayaḥ = strī-rūpa-saṃśrayaḥ (compound); dānavānprāha = dānavān + prāha.
FAQs
The verse presents Viṣṇu using māyā (divine illusion) as a strategic means to accomplish a purpose—assuming a form that can persuade the Dānavas and obtain the kamaṇḍalu.
A kamaṇḍalu is a water-pot, commonly associated with ascetics and ritual use; in narratives it can also function as an important object whose possession affects the unfolding of events.
The verse highlights the Purāṇic theme that māyā can be an instrument of divine order: what appears as deception is framed as purposeful, directed toward restoring balance or fulfilling a cosmic aim.