Shloka 44
Narmadā
Revā) Tīrtha Greatness: The Gandharva Maidens’ Curse Narrative (Acchodā Episode Begins
दारुणा हि परिकीर्तितांगना साधुभिर्विमलबुद्धिभिर्बुधैः । यावदेव न समीपगा इमास्तावदेव हि गृहं व्रजाम्यहम्
dāruṇā hi parikīrtitāṃganā sādhubhirvimalabuddhibhirbudhaiḥ | yāvadeva na samīpagā imāstāvadeva hi gṛhaṃ vrajāmyaham
दारुणा इति परिकीर्तिताङ्गना साधुभिर्विमलबुद्धिभिर्बुधैः। यावन्न समीपगा इमाः, तावदेव गृहं व्रजाम्यहम्॥
Unspecified (a male narrator/speaker within the chapter context)
Concept: Wise people warn of peril in proximity to temptation; prudence is to withdraw before the mind is captured.
Application: Pre-commit to boundaries: avoid situations that inflame desire, leave early, keep wholesome routines at home, and replace risky company with satsanga and devotional practice.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the threshold of a bustling pleasure-quarter, a sober man pauses, hearing the counsel of austere sages seated nearby; he turns away decisively toward a quiet home where a lamp burns steadily. The street behind him glitters with seductive lights, but his path forward is calm, lined with simple trees and the promise of inner safety.","primary_figures":["a prudent householder or young ascetic","two or three sages (sādhus)","background figures of the bustling street (non-detailed)"],"setting":"city edge transitioning to a quiet residential lane with a visible doorway and lamp","lighting_mood":"twilight shifting to warm lamp-lit refuge","color_palette":["dusky purple","warm amber","copper brown","sage green","cream white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a man turning away from an ornate, glittering street toward a simple home with a bright oil lamp, sages seated under an archway giving counsel, gold leaf highlights on the lamp flame and halos, rich reds/greens, intricate textile patterns, decisive gesture captured in classical posture.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: twilight city lane with delicate architecture, the man mid-turn with expressive restraint, sages in a small alcove, soft gradients in the sky, cool shadows and warm lamp glow at the home entrance, refined facial features and gentle narrative clarity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized street scene with bold outlines, sages as moral anchors on one side, the home doorway with a prominent lamp motif on the other, red-yellow-green palette, symbolic border patterns indicating ‘danger’ vs ‘dharma’.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of a glowing lamp at the home threshold, surrounding border of lotuses and vines, a small narrative vignette of the man turning away from glittering temptation, deep indigo background with gold accents, decorative symmetry emphasizing resolve."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["distant city murmur fading","footsteps turning away","soft temple bell","steady tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: parikīrtitāṃganā = parikīrtitā aṅganā; sādhubhirvimalabuddhibhirbudhaiḥ = sādhubhiḥ vimalabuddhibhiḥ budhaiḥ; imāstāvadeva = imāḥ tāvat eva; vrajāmyaham = vrajāmi aham
FAQs
It emphasizes proactive self-restraint: avoiding proximity to situations perceived as morally dangerous, based on counsel attributed to the wise and virtuous.
It appeals to authoritative moral discernment—suggesting that those with clear, purified understanding recognize certain encounters as spiritually risky and advise avoidance.
In isolation, the wording generalizes “women” as a danger; however, Purāṇic passages often occur within specific narrative or didactic contexts about temptation. A responsible reading consults the surrounding verses to identify the intended scenario and lesson (self-control) rather than a universal judgment.