Shloka 3
Vena’s Fall into Adharma and the Prelude to Pṛthu’s Birth
सुयज्ञानां निवृत्तिः स्याद्वेदानां हितथैव च । पुण्यशास्त्रमयो धर्मस्तदा नैव प्रवर्तितः
suyajñānāṃ nivṛttiḥ syādvedānāṃ hitathaiva ca | puṇyaśāstramayo dharmastadā naiva pravartitaḥ
ยัญพิธีที่ประกอบอย่างดีงามย่อมหยุดสิ้น และคุณประโยชน์จากพระเวทก็เสื่อมไป; ในกาลนั้น ธรรมซึ่งประกอบด้วยบัญญัติแห่งศาสตราอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์และเป็นบุญ มิได้ดำเนินขึ้นเลย
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa narratives)
Concept: When Vedic rites and śāstric dharma stop, society loses its meritorious momentum and welfare.
Application: Support dharmic institutions (temples, education, charity kitchens); keep personal ‘daily yajña’—truth, generosity, worship—so collective dharma does not atrophy.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A once-bustling sacrificial ground lies silent: altars cold, garlands dried, and priests’ seats empty. Over the kingdom, clouds gather but refuse to rain, while villagers look toward the abandoned yajña-śālā—an image of dharma’s engine stalled.","primary_figures":["absent priests (suggested by empty seats)","villagers","symbolic presence of King Vena (distant silhouette)"],"setting":"Deserted yajña-śālā with multiple kuṇḍas, unused ladles, withered flowers; distant fields under heavy sky","lighting_mood":"stormy twilight","color_palette":["lead gray","dust brown","withered ochre","ember red","pale blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand yajña hall rendered with ornate pillars and gold leaf details, but the fire-altars are cold; empty priest seats, dried garlands, villagers in subdued tones; dramatic sky motif, rich textures, symbolic contrast between opulence and spiritual emptiness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet, poignant landscape—abandoned altar in the foreground, distant village and fields under a brooding sky; delicate brushwork on withered flowers and ritual tools, restrained palette conveying loss and foreboding.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized yajña-kuṇḍas with darkened centers, bold outlines, villagers in expressive poses; heavy indigo-gray sky bands, traditional pigment palette with emphasis on moral drama and iconic emptiness.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical altar courtyard with decorative borders; lamps unlit, lotuses closed, peacocks perched silently; deep blues and grays with gold accents, intricate patterns emphasizing the absence of sacred activity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["wind over empty courtyard","distant thunder","silence","a single conch in the far distance","faint crackle of dying embers"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्याद्वेदानाम् = स्यात्+वेदानाम्; हितथैव = हितथा+एव; धर्मस्तदा = धर्मः+तदा; नैव = न+एव।
FAQs
It states that properly performed sacrifices would cease, implying a breakdown of traditional Vedic ritual practice.
It treats the Vedas as a source of benefit and well-being (hita) for society; when Vedic adherence declines, that benefit also diminishes.
It means dharma that is constituted by meritorious sacred teachings—i.e., righteous order grounded in authoritative śāstra—suggesting dharma is sustained by scriptural guidance and practice.