Shloka 67
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
द्वारकायां न चावन्त्यां केदारे शशिभूषणे । लभते नैव सा नारी यजमाना सदा किल
dvārakāyāṃ na cāvantyāṃ kedāre śaśibhūṣaṇe | labhate naiva sā nārī yajamānā sadā kila
แม้นางนั้นจะประกอบยัญญะอยู่เสมอ ก็ยังมิได้ (ผลนั้น) หาก (พิธี) มิได้ทำ ณ ทวารกา มิใช่ ณ อวันตี มิใช่ ณ เกดาระ และมิใช่ ณ ศศิภูษณะ—ดังที่กล่าวไว้
Unspecified (contextual narrator within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue)
Concept: Ritual efficacy is not merely effort (yajamāna’s constancy) but alignment with prescribed kṣetra and dharmic conditions.
Application: When undertaking vows, donations, or major life-rites, attend to right context: consult tradition/teachers, choose sacred settings when possible, and avoid mechanical religiosity divorced from humility and right conduct.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devoted woman stands before a map-like sacred panorama: Dvārakā’s sea-washed temples, Ujjain’s riverfront shrines, Kedāra’s snow peaks, and a moon-crested Śiva-kṣetra glowing under a crescent. Her hands hold a ladle and offering bowl, yet the scene conveys that without the right sacred setting, the sacrifice’s promise remains just out of reach.","primary_figures":["a yajamānā (devotee woman)","Kṛṣṇa (symbolic presence at Dvārakā)","Mahākāla/Śiva (symbolic presence)","Himālaya sages (optional)"],"setting":"Composite tīrtha panorama: seashore temple city, river ghāṭ, Himalayan shrine, moonlit forest-temple","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep ocean blue","snow white","moon-silver","saffron cloth","temple gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: four-panel sacred montage—Dvārakā with Kṛṣṇa emblem, Avantī with Mahākāla icon, Kedāra amid snow peaks, and a moon-crested Śaśibhūṣaṇa shrine; central devotee woman in rich silk with gold jewelry; heavy gold leaf on temple towers and halos; ornate arch borders with conch, discus, and crescent motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic multi-scene landscape with delicate transitions from sea to river to mountains to moonlit grove; the devotee woman rendered with refined features and soft textiles; subtle emotional tension in posture; cool blues and whites with warm saffron accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined sacred geography with stylized waves, mountains, and crescent moon; large-eyed devotee in frontal pose; iconic shrines simplified; strong red/yellow/green pigments; decorative bands of lotus and rudrākṣa patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central devotional figure framed by four sacred vignettes; dense floral borders, lotus rosettes, peacocks; Dvārakā vignette includes cows and a small Kṛṣṇa symbol; deep indigo ground with gold highlights and white mountain detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["distant conch","temple bells","sea surf (Dvārakā)","mountain wind (Kedāra)","low drone of tanpura"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चावन्त्याम् = च + अवन्त्याम्; नैव = न + एव.
FAQs
It implies that the efficacy or “fruit” of certain rites is tied to performing them at particular sacred places, emphasizing tīrtha-māhātmya (the glorification of pilgrimage sites) alongside ritual action.
Dvārakā (a major Vaiṣṇava sacred city), Avantī/Ujjayinī (a renowned sacred region), Kedāra (a prominent Śaiva pilgrimage), and Śaśibhūṣaṇa (a named sacred site/linga) are cited as places where religious acts are considered especially potent.
It teaches that intention and effort (continuous yajña) are not the only factors; tradition also values proper context—right place, right method, and adherence to prescribed sacred frameworks.