Shloka 4
The Yayāti Episode
with the Glory of Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha
एको गृह्णातु मे पुत्रा जरां दुःखप्रदायिनीम् । स्वकं ददातु तारुण्यं यथाकामं चराम्यहम्
eko gṛhṇātu me putrā jarāṃ duḥkhapradāyinīm | svakaṃ dadātu tāruṇyaṃ yathākāmaṃ carāmyaham
โอ้บุตรทั้งหลาย ให้ผู้ใดผู้หนึ่งรับเอาความชราที่ก่อทุกข์ของข้าไป และมอบความเยาว์วัยของตนแก่ข้า แล้วข้าจักดำรงชีวิตตามปรารถนา
Unspecified (a father addressing his sons; exact speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Attempting to offload one’s suffering onto others for personal enjoyment is adharma; craving youth is bondage.
Application: Do not seek shortcuts that transfer your burdens to family/community; accept life stages with dignity and cultivate devotion rather than indulgence.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king extends his hand toward his sons as if making a contract, his eyes bright with longing, while the princes recoil slightly—caught between filial duty and moral revulsion. In the background, a shadowy personification of Jarā (Old Age) looms like a withered figure, and a youthful aura glows temptingly around the king, emphasizing the unnatural exchange.","primary_figures":["Aging king (unnamed)","Sons (princes)","Personified Jarā (symbolic)"],"setting":"Royal court chamber with a low dais, scrolls of law (dharma-śāstra) on a stand, and attendants frozen in uneasy silence.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ashen gray","saffron gold","royal purple","pearl white","dark teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic court tableau—king gesturing commandingly toward princes; a stylized withered figure of Jarā behind him; gold leaf emphasizing the king’s crown and the ‘youth’ aura as a gilded halo; rich maroons and greens, ornate pillars, gem-studded ornaments, and a moral-drama expression set.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court interior with patterned carpets; the king’s pleading yet imperious posture; princes with subtle expressions of shock; Jarā as a faint gray silhouette; delicate pastel washes and precise facial features; a lyrical but tense atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, exaggerated expressive eyes; the king in warm reds, Jarā in muted grays; princes in bright yellows/greens; symbolic flames of desire curling as decorative motifs; temple-wall composition with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: court scene framed by lotus creepers; the exchange theme symbolized by two garlands—one fresh, one withered—held between king and son; deep blue ground with gold highlights, intricate floral borders, stylized peacocks at corners."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["sharp mridangam strokes","sudden hush","single conch accent","court murmurs fading to silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चराम्यहम् = चरामि + अहम्; दुःखप्रदायिनीम् is a तत्पुरुष compound qualifying जराम्; यथाकामम् is अव्ययीभाव (yathā + kāmam).
FAQs
A father expresses a desire to transfer his suffering old age to one son and receive that son’s youth, so he may live according to his own wishes—highlighting human attachment to youth and fear of aging.
It implies a conflict between personal desire (to avoid suffering and keep youth) and fairness or dharma, since shifting one’s burden onto another—even a son—raises questions about responsibility and compassion.
Not directly; this shloka is primarily reflective/ethical, focusing on aging, suffering, and familial dynamics rather than tīrtha description or explicit devotional instruction.