Shloka 9
The Account of Sunīthā
within the Vena Narrative
ताडंतं ताडयेद्यो वै क्रोशंतं क्रोशयेत्पुनः । तस्य पापं स वै भुंक्ते ताडितस्य न संशयः
tāḍaṃtaṃ tāḍayedyo vai krośaṃtaṃ krośayetpunaḥ | tasya pāpaṃ sa vai bhuṃkte tāḍitasya na saṃśayaḥ
ผู้ใดตีผู้ที่กำลังตี หรือกลับตะโกนใส่ผู้ที่กำลังร่ำไห้—ผู้นั้นย่อมเสวยบาปของผู้ถูกตีแน่นอน; ไม่มีข้อสงสัย
Unspecified (narrative instruction; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame of the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Do not mirror another’s violence or distress; by retaliatory harm or mockery one becomes a carrier of the other’s sin and suffering.
Application: When confronted with aggression or someone’s crying, respond with de-escalation and help; avoid ‘punishing’ in anger or humiliating the distressed.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village threshold at dusk: one person raises a hand to strike, while another weeps openly. A calm elder steps between them, palm raised in a gesture of restraint, as if stopping the karmic chain from passing onward.","primary_figures":["a weeping innocent person","an aggressor","a dharma-teacher/elder (narrator archetype)"],"setting":"earthly courtyard near a small shrine with a tulasī planter and a lamp, suggesting Padma Purāṇa’s devotional domesticity even in ethical instruction","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm ochre","lamp-flame gold","deep indigo","tulasī green","ash-white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-elder with serene face and raised abhaya-like palm stands between an aggressor and a crying innocent at a shrine courtyard; gold leaf halo around the elder, rich maroon and emerald garments, ornate borders, gem-studded ornaments, a small tulasī maṇḍapa and brass lamp rendered with metallic highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate linework shows a quiet courtyard at twilight, the crying figure seated near a tulasī pot, the aggressor halted mid-gesture, and a calm elder intervening; cool blues and soft greens, lyrical trees, distant hills, refined faces with gentle expressions, minimal but expressive gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments depict the moral tableau—aggressor, weeping person, and a composed teacher; large expressive eyes, red-yellow-green palette, stylized shrine lamp and tulasī plant, symmetrical composition like a temple wall panel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional courtyard framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; central scene of restraint—elder stopping violence—set before a small Viṣṇu shrine, with peacocks and cows at the margins, deep blue background, gold detailing, tulasī leaves patterned throughout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","low drone (tanpura)","distant human sobs fading into silence","gentle footfall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ताडयेद्यो = ताडयेत् + यः। क्रोशयेत्पुनः = क्रोशयेत् + पुनः।
FAQs
It warns that retaliatory harm (or amplifying another’s distress) can make one share in the moral fault of the original wrongdoing, emphasizing restraint and non-violence.
In a moral sense, yes: it suggests that by responding with the same harmful action, one participates in and thus “bears” the sin connected to that act.
It frames Dharma as not merely reacting to wrongdoing, but choosing conduct that does not replicate violence—aligning personal action with righteous restraint.