Shloka 65
The Story of Sudevā and Śivaśarman (within the Sukalā Narrative): Pride, Neglect, and Household Discipline
चरित्रं ते प्रवक्ष्यमि शृणुष्वैकमना द्विज
caritraṃ te pravakṣyami śṛṇuṣvaikamanā dvija
நான் உனக்கு இந்தச் சரிதத்தை உரைப்பேன்; இருமுறை பிறந்தவனே, ஒருமுக மனத்துடன் கேள்.
Unspecified narrator (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogues)
Concept: Śravaṇa with ekāgratā (one-pointed attention) is itself a dharmic discipline that makes the forthcoming kathā spiritually efficacious.
Application: Before reading/listening to sacred texts, set intention, reduce distractions, and listen as a vow (niyama) for steadiness of mind.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage-narrator sits on a kusa-grass seat beneath a flowering aśvattha, palm-leaf manuscript in hand, raising one finger in gentle instruction. A ‘dvija’ listener sits with folded hands, eyes lowered in concentration, as the air seems to still—signaling the sanctity of the coming kathā.","primary_figures":["kathā-vācaka (sage/narrator)","dvija-śrotā (brahmin listener)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage (āśrama) with a small yajña-śālā, water pot, and manuscript stand; distant river shimmer implied.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","ochre","smoke gray","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated sage-narrator under a stylized sacred tree, gold leaf halo around the speaker’s head, the listener brahmin in añjali-mudrā, ornate manuscript stand and brass kamaṇḍalu, rich reds and greens, gem-studded borders, South Indian iconographic symmetry emphasizing the sanctity of śravaṇa.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage scene with delicate brushwork, soft Himalayan-like greens, refined faces, the narrator gesturing ‘listen’ while the dvija leans forward, thin ink lines for foliage, lyrical calm, a faint river ribbon in the background.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm yellow-ochre skin tones, the sage with large expressive eyes and stylized hair-knot, palm-leaf manuscript prominent, temple-wall aesthetic with red/green blocks, minimal depth but strong devotional presence.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional listening assembly framed by lotus and creeper borders, peacocks perched on branches, central vignette of narrator and listener, deep indigo background with gold highlights, floral motifs suggesting ‘kathā-rasa’ as sacred nectar."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","rustling leaves","distant flowing water","brief conch shell prelude","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शृणुष्वैकमना = शृणुष्व + एकमना (स्व + ए → स्वै); अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि नहीं।
FAQs
It serves as a formal narrative cue: the speaker signals that a significant story or exemplary account (caritra) is about to be narrated and asks the listener to pay focused attention.
“Dvija” literally means “twice-born,” commonly used for a Brahmin or an initiated member of the three varṇas; in Purāṇic dialogues it often functions as a respectful address to the interlocutor.
It underscores disciplined listening (śravaṇa) and mental concentration as prerequisites for properly receiving and internalizing dharmic teaching conveyed through sacred narrative.