Shloka 18
Protection of Brāhmaṇas
पुत्रं देहीति देहीति वद ब्राह्मणसत्तम । नास्ति राज्ञो द्विजश्रेष्ठ पुत्रः संतापनाशनः
putraṃ dehīti dehīti vada brāhmaṇasattama | nāsti rājño dvijaśreṣṭha putraḥ saṃtāpanāśanaḥ
“పుత్రుని దయచేయి—పుత్రుని దయచేయి” అని పలుకు, ఓ బ్రాహ్మణోత్తమా. ఓ ద్విజశ్రేష్ఠా, రాజుకు శోకనాశకుడైన కుమారుడు లేడు.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 12 dialogue)
Concept: Human sorrow (santāpa) seeks relief through dharmic means—prayer, rite, and devotion—rather than mere power; the request anticipates a putra-prāpti remedy grounded in sacred observance.
Application: When facing deep lack, turn to disciplined spiritual practice and humble petition; seek guidance from the wise and align desire with dharma.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a hushed chamber of petition, the royal messengers kneel before the brāhmaṇa, repeating the plea ‘dehi, dehi’ with trembling urgency. Behind their words hangs the unseen grief of a childless king—an empty cradle motif, a dimmed royal lamp—while the brāhmaṇa’s calm presence suggests that dharma and Viṣṇu’s grace can dissolve sorrow.","primary_figures":["royal messengers (dūtas)","brāhmaṇa Kṛṣṇadeva","(implied) childless king"],"setting":"Brāhmaṇa’s reception space with ritual purity—kusha grass, water pot, offering tray; symbolic royal elements (seal, banner) indicating the king’s stake","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep indigo","lamp gold","ash white","vermillion","sage green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: intense supplication scene—messengers with folded hands, expressive faces; Kṛṣṇadeva seated near a small Viṣṇu shrine; gold leaf emphasizing the lamp glow, royal seal, and shrine arch; rich maroons and greens, ornate borders, devotional gravitas.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate emotional moment—kneeling messengers, gentle yet grave expressions; Kṛṣṇadeva’s serene gaze; subtle symbolic details like an empty cradle silhouette or dim lamp in the background; cool palette with warm lamp highlights, fine linework.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold, iconic pleading gestures; repeated ‘dehi dehi’ conveyed through rhythmic composition; strong reds and yellows around the lamp, deep greens for calm; stylized shrine motif to anchor Vaiṣṇava resolution.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional petition framed by lotus and creeper borders; central medallion with śaṅkha-cakra symbols suggesting Viṣṇu’s boon; deep blue cloth, gold detailing, symmetrical placement of kneeling figures and lamp motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low temple bell","soft conch in distance","silence between phrases","fire crackle","faint court drum far away"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देहीति → देहि + इति; नास्ति → न + अस्ति; संतापनाशनः (संताप + नाशन).
FAQs
The verse urges a brāhmaṇa to voice the prayer “Grant a son,” emphasizing the king’s lack of an heir.
In the traditional royal and household framework, an heir is seen as ending anxiety about lineage, duty, and continuity—thereby ‘removing sorrow.’
It reflects the classical concern for responsibility, lineage continuity, and the role of counsel/prayer by learned brāhmaṇas in addressing a ruler’s distress.