Shloka 24
The Account of King Bhadreśvara
Sun-worship, healing, and heavenly ascent
सर्वेषां वो हितार्थाय सानुगः पुरवासिनाम् । राजोवाच । यदीच्छसि वरं दातुं सर्वलोचनमत्प्रियम्
sarveṣāṃ vo hitārthāya sānugaḥ puravāsinām | rājovāca | yadīcchasi varaṃ dātuṃ sarvalocanamatpriyam
‘सर्वेषां वः पुरवासिनां सानुगानां हितार्थम्’ इति राजोवाच— ‘यदि वरं दातुमिच्छसि, सर्वलोचनमनःप्रियं देहि।’
The King (rājā)
Concept: The highest use of divine favor is loka-hita: requesting what benefits the entire community.
Application: When given influence or choice, prioritize decisions that uplift family/community; align personal desires with the common good.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king, calm and resolute, addresses the boon-giver with palms joined, while behind him the city’s people—merchants, artisans, elders, and children—stand as a single community. His gaze is steady: the wish he asks is not for himself but for what delights and benefits every heart in the city.","primary_figures":["King (rājā)","Citizens (puravāsinaḥ)","Boon-giver (off-frame or present)","Royal attendants"],"setting":"City square or palace forecourt with visible populace; banners, lamps, and a sense of civic unity.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise gold","brick red","indigo shadow","cream white","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: king in regal posture with gold-leaf crown and halo-like backdrop, gesturing toward gathered citizens; ornate palace pillars, rich reds and greens, embossed gold detailing, auspicious lamps, communal harmony emphasized.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: panoramic city forecourt with layered crowd scenes; the king in refined profile speaking gently; pastel architecture, delicate textiles, lyrical human expressions, soft morning light.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized crowd bands behind the king; bold outlines, flat pigments; king in añjali with commanding eyes; warm red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall dignity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central king framed by floral borders; rows of citizens rendered rhythmically; lotus medallions symbolizing ‘sarva-locana-priya’; deep blue background with gold ornamentation, celebratory civic devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crowd murmur (soft)","flag flutter","single conch note","temple bell cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजोवाच = राजा + उवाच (आ + उ → ओ). यदीच्छसि = यदि + इच्छसि (इ + इ → ई).
FAQs
The king requests a boon that benefits all the city’s residents—something universally pleasing and desirable.
It frames the king’s aim as public welfare (hita) rather than private gain, presenting rulership as responsibility toward the whole community.
Yes: when asking for favors or making decisions, one should prioritize what benefits the many and is broadly wholesome, not merely personally advantageous.