Shloka 38
Bala: The Rise and Slaying of the Dānava
and the Devas’ Restoration
एवं जानीहि देवेश यदि क्षेममिहेच्छसि । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं स मातुः पाकशासनः
evaṃ jānīhi deveśa yadi kṣemamihecchasi | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ sa mātuḥ pākaśāsanaḥ
ఓ దేవేశా! ఇక్కడ క్షేమం కోరితే, ఇదే విధంగా తెలుసుకో. ఆ మాటలు విని ప్రతాపవంతుడైన శక్రుడు (ఇంద్రుడు) తల్లి వాక్యాన్ని గ్రహించాడు.
Unspecified (a narrator/teacher addressing Indra as 'deveśa'); second half narrates Indra hearing the statement
Concept: Well-being (kṣema) arises from heeding dharmic instruction rather than impulsive power.
Application: Pause before reacting; seek wise counsel and choose actions that preserve integrity and long-term welfare.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn celestial teacher addresses Indra in Amarāvatī, the air heavy with warning and the promise of safety if dharma is followed. Indra, crowned and thunderbolt-bearing, listens with tightened brow, the court’s apsarās and devas falling silent as the counsel lands.","primary_figures":["Indra (Pākaśāsana)","a venerable narrator-teacher (ṛṣi-like figure)","attendant devas"],"setting":"Amarāvatī’s jeweled hall with lotus pillars, distant view of Nandana grove, a throne dais and ritual lamps","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","pearl white","ruby red","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra seated on a gem-studded throne in Amaravati, vajra resting at his side, a sage-like teacher raising a hand in instruction; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, ornate jewelry, lotus pillars, symmetrical composition, embossed gold detailing on crown and throne.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate court scene with Indra listening to a calm rishi-teacher; delicate brushwork, cool blues and soft greens, lyrical clouds behind palace arches, refined faces, subtle emotion in Indra’s eyes, thin gold accents on ornaments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Indra with large expressive eyes and stylized crown, the teacher in saffron tones gesturing dharmic counsel; flat temple-wall aesthetic, red/yellow/green palette, decorative floral borders and lamp motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional court tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; deep blue background with gold highlights, stylized lotuses and peacocks at the margins, Indra centered with attendants, intricate textile-like patterning and symmetrical ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","conch shell (distant)","hushed court ambience","gentle drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्षेमम् + इह + इच्छसि → क्षेममिहेच्छसि (म + इह; इह + इच्छसि → हेच्छसि); एवम् + आकर्ण्य → एवमाकर्ण्य; तत् + वाक्यम् → तद्वाक्यम् (द्-आदेश).
FAQs
Pākaśāsana is a well-known epithet of Indra, meaning “the chastiser/punisher of Pāka,” used frequently in Purāṇic literature.
It urges the addressee (Indra) to accept a specific instruction as the means to “kṣema”—welfare, safety, or auspicious well-being—in the present context (“iha”).
This śloka reads like a transitional line within a longer narrative: the first pāda concludes an instruction, and the second pāda shifts to narration (“having heard that statement…”). The explicit speaker is typically clarified by surrounding verses.