Shloka 3
The Tale of Sukalā: Illusion, Desire, and the Testing of a Chaste Wife
within the Vena Cycle
ममापि भर्ता प्रबलो गुणज्ञो धीरः सविद्यो महिमाप्रयुक्तः । त्यक्त्वा गतः पापतरांसुपुण्यो मामेव नाथः शृणु पुण्यकीर्तिः
mamāpi bhartā prabalo guṇajño dhīraḥ savidyo mahimāprayuktaḥ | tyaktvā gataḥ pāpatarāṃsupuṇyo māmeva nāthaḥ śṛṇu puṇyakīrtiḥ
สามีของข้าพเจ้าก็ทรงพลัง รู้คุณธรรม มั่นคงและทรงวิทยา ประกอบด้วยศักดิ์ศรีและความยิ่งใหญ่ แต่แล้วเขากลับละทิ้งข้าพเจ้า ชายผู้มีบุญนั้นไปอยู่ท่ามกลางผู้บาปยิ่งกว่า โอ้พระนาถ โปรดสดับเถิด โอ้ผู้มีเกียรติคุณอันเป็นบุญ—เขานั่นเองคือผู้คุ้มครองของข้าพเจ้า
Unspecified (a woman speaking about her husband in a dialogic narrative)
Concept: Worldly excellence (strength, learning, virtue) can still be eclipsed by moral fall; one should not confuse social merit with unwavering dharma.
Application: Do not idealize someone solely for competence or status; anchor trust in dharma and cultivate inner refuge through prayer, japa, and ethical clarity.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A noblewoman sits in a quiet inner courtyard, her ornaments subdued, hands clasped in supplication as she speaks of a husband once celebrated for strength and learning. In the background, a shadowed gateway suggests his departure toward morally darker company, while a faint lotus motif hints at divine refuge beyond human bonds.","primary_figures":["Suffering wife (unnamed)","Absent husband (suggested silhouette)"],"setting":"Domestic courtyard with carved pillars, threshold gate, a small household shrine in the corner","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky indigo","muted vermilion","antique gold","ash white","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sorrowful noblewoman in a South Indian palace courtyard, hands in añjali near a small Vishnu shrine, gold leaf halo-like radiance around the shrine (not the husband), rich maroon and emerald textiles, gem-studded jewelry rendered with restraint, ornate archways and lotus borders, dramatic contrast between bright sanctum corner and dark departing doorway.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate palace terrace scene with delicate lines; the woman seated near a small tulasi planter and a lamp, distant corridor showing a faint departing figure; cool twilight blues and soft pinks, lyrical melancholy, refined facial features, minimal architecture with floral motifs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined woman in subdued royal attire, expressive eyes filled with karuṇa; a small Vishnu lamp niche glowing behind; flat decorative courtyard patterns, red-ochre and yellow-green palette with black contours, lotus and conch motifs framing the lament.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of a small glowing shrine with lotus and conch borders; the woman at the lower edge in prayerful posture, peacocks subdued and cows distant as symbols of lost harmony; deep indigo ground with gold floral filigree, emphasizing longing for the true Nātha (Vishnu)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","night insects","distant footsteps","low drone (tanpura)","brief silence after key phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mamāpi = मम + अपि (अ + अ → आ). pāpatarāṃsupuṇyo पाठे सन्धि-विच्छेदः: पापतरान् + सुपुण्यः (न् + स् → ंस्/न्स् लेखनभेद). māmeva = माम् + एव (म् + ए → मे).
FAQs
A virtuous, capable husband is described, yet he abandons his wife and associates with more sinful company—highlighting the contrast between personal merit and harmful choices.
It implicitly underscores the duty of protection and fidelity within marriage: being “puṇya” is incomplete if one neglects responsibilities toward dependents and spouse.
It is an honorific meaning “of holy fame,” indicating the speaker is appealing to a respected authority (a revered interlocutor) to hear her account and judge or advise rightly.