Shloka 18
Manifestation of the Śrī Vāsudeva Hymn in the Glory of Guru-tīrtha
Cyavana Narrative within the Vena Episode
कर्तुं पुरुषशार्दूल कोऽयं विधिविपर्ययः । दुष्कृतं साहसं कर्म निंद्यं लोकेषु सर्वदा
kartuṃ puruṣaśārdūla ko'yaṃ vidhiviparyayaḥ | duṣkṛtaṃ sāhasaṃ karma niṃdyaṃ lokeṣu sarvadā
ఓ పురుషశార్దూలా! నీవు చేయబోయే ఈ విధి-ధర్మ విపర్యయం ఏమిటి? ఇలాంటి సాహసకార్యం దుష్కృతమే; లోకములలో సదా నిందితమే.
Unspecified (a moral admonisher addressing 'puruṣaśārdūla')
Concept: Dharma is not optional: a deliberate ‘reversal of right conduct’ (vidhi-viparyaya) becomes condemned wrongdoing, regardless of personal justification.
Application: Before acting, test the impulse: (1) is it śāstra-consistent, (2) is it non-violent and non-reckless, (3) would it withstand public ethical scrutiny? If not, pause and seek counsel.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stern yet compassionate sage raises a palm in warning before a richly dressed king poised to commit a rash act. The court freezes—ministers and guards hold their breath—while the sage’s words appear like a luminous script in the air, signaling that dharma itself is watching.","primary_figures":["a mahātman sage-admonisher","a conflicted king (nara-śārdūla)","attendants and ministers"],"setting":"royal sabhā with carved pillars, a dharma-śāstra manuscript on a low stand, and a distant glimpse of a temple spire beyond the palace courtyard","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["burnished gold","deep maroon","sandalwood beige","smoky indigo","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a palace court scene where a radiant sage admonishes a proud king about vidhi-viparyaya; gold leaf halos around the sage and subtle gold filigree on pillars; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography accents, a small Viṣṇu shrine in the background signifying dharma’s source.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing a sage halting a king’s reckless step; cool palette with indigo shadows, refined faces, lyrical drapery; distant hills and a small temple silhouette beyond the courtyard; emphasis on expressive hand gestures and quiet moral tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments; the sage’s raised hand in abhaya-like admonition, the king’s tense posture; red/yellow/green palette with stylized palace architecture and a small lamp-lit Viṣṇu niche indicating dharma.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition—central sage and king framed by lotus borders; peacocks and floral vines around a small Viṣṇu emblem above, suggesting divine witness; deep blues and gold with intricate textile-like detailing, moral warning conveyed through posture and gaze."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low court murmurs fading into silence","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कोऽयम् = कः + अयम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि); पदक्रमे ‘कः अयम् विधिविपर्ययः’ इति प्रश्नवाक्यम्।
FAQs
It warns against abandoning proper dharma (right conduct) and condemns reckless, impulsive actions as inherently blameworthy.
It indicates a turning upside-down of prescribed norms—acting contrary to established right procedure, morality, or duty.
The verse frames dharma as socially and morally recognized: rash wrongdoing brings censure among people and is not upheld as righteous behavior.