Shloka 86
Rāma’s Meeting with Agastya: Gift-Ethics (Dāna) and the Tale of King Śveta
तस्य पुत्रद्वयं ब्रह्मन्द्वाभ्यां स्त्रीभ्यामजायत । अहं श्वेत इति ख्यातो यवीयान्सुरथोऽभवत्
tasya putradvayaṃ brahmandvābhyāṃ strībhyāmajāyata | ahaṃ śveta iti khyāto yavīyānsuratho'bhavat
హే బ్రాహ్మణా, అతనికి రెండు భార్యల ద్వారా ఇద్దరు కుమారులు జన్మించారు. నేను ‘శ్వేత’ అని ఖ్యాతి పొందాను; కనిష్ఠుడు ‘సురథ’ అయ్యెను।
Śveta (narrator) addressing a Brahman (sage)
Concept: Human life proceeds through relational duties (family, succession) that later become the field for spiritual maturation.
Application: Honor family responsibilities without losing sight of the higher aim; treat roles as stewardship.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two queens of Vidarbha stand in a palace inner courtyard, each attended by maidservants, as the young princes are presented to brāhmaṇas for blessings. The elder prince Śveta is shown with a calm, luminous demeanor, while the younger Suratha stands slightly behind, suggesting future narrative divergence.","primary_figures":["Śveta (prince)","Suratha (prince)","two queens","brāhmaṇa priest"],"setting":"Palace antahpura courtyard with lotus pond, mango trees, and ritual platform for blessings","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["pearl white","emerald green","vermillion","lapis lazuli","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Palace courtyard scene with two queens in rich silk, princes Śveta and Suratha receiving āśīrvāda from a brāhmaṇa, gold leaf detailing on jewelry and arches, lotus pond with stylized lotuses, ornate borders and gem-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Intimate palace courtyard with delicate foliage, cool greens and blues, refined facial expressions, the two princes in simple yet elegant attire, brāhmaṇa blessing gesture, lyrical water reflections in a small lotus pond.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Symmetrical composition of two queens and two princes, bold outlines, flat yet vibrant natural pigments, decorative floral borders, ritual blessing emphasized with stylized hand gestures and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Courtyard framed by dense floral borders and lotus motifs, deep blue ground with gold accents, princes centered like devotional figures, peacocks near the lotus pond, intricate textile patterns on garments."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft veena","courtyard birds","gentle bell chime","murmured Vedic blessings"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मन्द्वाभ्याम् = ब्रह्मन् + द्वाभ्याम्; स्त्रीभ्यामजायत = स्त्रीभ्याम् + अजायत; यवीयान्सुरथोऽभवत् = यवीयान् + सुरथः + अभवत् (’o = sandhi of अः + अ).
FAQs
It states a genealogical detail: a man had two sons from two wives, one named Śveta (the speaker) and the younger named Suratha.
“Brahman” here is a respectful vocative for a Brahmin sage, indicating the speaker is narrating this lineage detail to a learned listener.
The verse is primarily genealogical rather than moralistic; its function is to preserve lineage and identity within the broader creation-era narrative of the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa.