Shloka 80
ब्राह्मण्युवाच । कष्टं मे वर्तते नाथ दृष्ट्वा त्वां दुःखसंयुतम् । ग्रामाचारमिमं यद्वाप्यऽपरं कर्तुमर्हसि
brāhmaṇyuvāca | kaṣṭaṃ me vartate nātha dṛṣṭvā tvāṃ duḥkhasaṃyutam | grāmācāramimaṃ yadvāpya'paraṃ kartumarhasi
బ్రాహ్మణి పలికింది—ఓ నాథా! నిన్ను దుఃఖంతో బాధపడుతూ చూసి నాకు మహా కష్టం కలుగుతోంది. కనుక నీవు ఈ గ్రామాచారాన్ని అనుసరించు, లేకపోతే యథోచితమైన ఇతర కర్తవ్యాన్ని చేయుము।
Brāhmaṇī (a Brahmin woman)
Concept: When compassion meets crisis, one must discern between mere local custom (grāmācāra) and what is truly proper (dharma/nyāya).
Application: In conflict situations, pause before conforming; ask whether the ‘custom’ is ethical, non-harmful, and conducive to inner integrity.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worried brāhmaṇī stands at the threshold of a humble village courtyard, palms joined, her face softened by compassion as she addresses a sorrow-stricken traveler. Behind them, villagers gather in a half-circle, their gestures suggesting an insistent local custom, while the woman’s gaze pleads for a higher, kinder propriety.","primary_figures":["Brāhmaṇī (brahmin woman)","Afflicted noble/traveler (unnamed)","Village elders/people"],"setting":"Rural village lane with a small shrine niche, earthen houses, tulasī pot near a doorway, and a dusty courtyard where community custom is enforced.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["ochre earth","indigo cloth","lotus pink","burnished gold","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a compassionate brāhmaṇī with folded hands addressing a sorrowful traveler in a village courtyard; gold leaf halos subtly behind the virtuous figures, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate jewelry rendered with gem-like dots; a small shrine niche and a tulasī pot at the doorway; stylized South Indian architecture and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a village courtyard scene with delicate linework; the brāhmaṇī in soft saffron and white, the sorrowful traveler seated; villagers in muted tones forming a gentle arc; lyrical trees and a small tulasī planter; refined faces, cool shadows, and a calm Himalayan-like sky gradient.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the brāhmaṇī’s expressive eyes and hand gestures conveying compassion; the traveler’s bowed posture; a simple shrine niche and tulasī pot; dominant reds, yellows, and greens with rhythmic ornamental patterns along the frame.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a courtyard with lotus and floral borders; a prominent tulasī planter decorated with garlands; villagers arranged symmetrically; deep blue background with gold detailing; peacocks perched on a wall; devotional ambience hinting that true dharma protects bhakti beyond custom."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["distant village murmurs","soft temple bells","wind through leaves","brief silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्राह्मण्युवाच = ब्राह्मणी + उवाच; दुःखसंयुतम् = दुःख + संयुतम्; ग्रामाचारम् = ग्राम + आचारम्; यद्वाप्यऽपरम् = यद्वा + अपि + अपरम् (’ = अवग्रह/अ-लोप संकेत).
FAQs
It presents a common dharma-text tension: local custom (grāmācāra) is acknowledged as a guiding norm, yet the listener is also urged to choose an alternative course if that is more proper (aparaṃ kartum).
A Brāhmaṇī (Brahmin woman) speaks, expressing personal distress (kaṣṭam me vartate) upon seeing the addressed person suffering (duḥkha-saṃyutam).
Compassion motivates counsel, and ethical action is framed as a choice between conforming to established social practice and pursuing a more fitting, principled alternative when circumstances demand it.