Shloka 85
The Tale of Sukalā: Testing Pativratā Fidelity and the Body-as-House Teaching
एवं वद स्वतं ज्ञात्वा यस्यार्थमिह चागता । दर्शयस्व अपूर्वं मे यदि भोक्तुमिहेच्छसि
evaṃ vada svataṃ jñātvā yasyārthamiha cāgatā | darśayasva apūrvaṃ me yadi bhoktumihecchasi
เมื่อเจ้ารู้ด้วยตนเองแล้วว่าเหตุใดจึงมาที่นี่ ก็จงกล่าวให้สมกับเหตุแห่งการมา หากเจ้าปรารถนาจะเสวยสุข ณ ที่นี้จริงไซร้ จงแสดงสิ่งอันไม่เคยมีมาก่อนแก่เราเถิด
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue speaker with certainty)
Concept: One should speak and act in alignment with one’s true intention (artha) and be ready to demonstrate authenticity through deeds, not mere words.
Application: Before making requests or seeking enjoyment, clarify your motive, speak plainly, and let your conduct prove your sincerity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn interlocutor, seated like a judge of intentions, addresses a visitor who has come seeking enjoyment or privilege. The visitor stands with folded hands, caught between desire and honesty, while a subtle divine aura suggests that truth itself is being weighed.","primary_figures":["a stern sage or dharmic gatekeeper","a visiting seeker/pilgrim"],"setting":"threshold of a sacred precinct—stone steps leading to a shrine courtyard with a lotus pond nearby","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","burnished gold","sandalwood beige","indigo shadow","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dignified sage seated on a carved pedestal at the entrance of a Vishnu temple courtyard, right hand raised in instructive gesture, a pilgrim standing with folded hands; gold leaf haloing both figures subtly to show the test of truth, rich reds and greens, ornate pillars, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography, lotus pond border motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined sage under a flowering tree near a small temple gate, delicately painted pilgrim in humble posture, soft Himalayan-like landscape in the distance, lyrical naturalism, cool shadows, fine facial features, gentle linework emphasizing the moral tension of sincerity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red-yellow-green palette, the sage with large expressive eyes and commanding mudra, the visitor in respectful stance, temple doorway with lamp niches, natural pigment texture, sacred threshold symbolism.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a courtyard scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, the moral ‘test’ rendered as a Krishna-Vishnu-centered ambience—subtle shankha-chakra symbols in the border, deep blues and gold, peacocks perched on the parapet, devotional atmosphere despite the human dialogue."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft mridanga pulse","courtyard ambience","brief silence after the challenge"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yasyārtham → yasya + artham; ca + āgatā → cāgatā; bhoktumihecchasi → bhoktum + iha + icchasi (iha + icchasi → ihecchasi).
FAQs
It urges a person to clearly state their intention—having understood their own purpose—and then to demonstrate sincerity through an extraordinary or convincing act.
Not explicitly in the verse itself; it reads as a dialogue line about intention and proof. Its broader theological angle depends on the surrounding narrative in Adhyāya 53.
Clarity of motive matters: one should know why one is acting, speak truthfully about that purpose, and back words with meaningful action rather than mere claims.