Shloka 54
Yayāti Episode: Indra’s Anxiety, the Messenger Motif, and a Discourse on Time (Kāla) and Karma
प्राक्तनं बंधनं कर्म कोन्यथा कर्तुमर्हति । सुशीघ्रमपि धावंतं विधानमनुधावति
prāktanaṃ baṃdhanaṃ karma konyathā kartumarhati | suśīghramapi dhāvaṃtaṃ vidhānamanudhāvati
กรรมอันเป็นพันธนาการเก่าแก่ ไม่มีผู้ใดทำให้เป็นอย่างอื่นได้ แม้ผู้วิ่งเร็วเพียงใด ก็ยังถูกบทบัญญัติแห่งวิธีกำหนดไล่ตาม
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Adhyaya)
Concept: Past karma is a binding force; one cannot simply ‘outrun’ the ordained unfolding of consequences.
Application: Stop postponing ethical repair; accept responsibility, make amends quickly, and adopt steady sādhana (japa, arcana, vrata) rather than hoping time alone will erase consequences.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A swift runner sprints across a barren plain, yet behind him a towering, scroll-bearing figure of ‘Vidhāna’ (cosmic ordinance) glides effortlessly, casting a long shadow that touches the runner’s heels. Above, a wheel-like mandala suggests the turning of karma and time.","primary_figures":["swift runner (symbolic human)","personified Vidhāna/Daiva (cosmic figure)","chakra-mandala (symbol of time/karma)"],"setting":"wide open plain with distant mountains, a faint path marked by footprints that glow and fade","lighting_mood":"storm-lit with a single shaft of light","color_palette":["iron gray","electric white","dust brown","midnight blue","copper"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic allegory of a runner pursued by a majestic cosmic figure holding a dharma-scroll; gold leaf on the chakra-mandala in the sky and on the scroll edges, rich maroons and greens for garments, ornate frame with traditional motifs, jewel-like highlights on the cosmic figure’s ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dynamic motion—runner mid-stride, trailing scarf; the pursuing ordinance rendered as serene and inevitable; cool mountain horizon, delicate clouds, fine linework on footprints, restrained palette with luminous highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized anatomy; the cosmic ordinance as a large frontal figure with commanding eyes; runner in profile; strong red/yellow/green blocks, temple-wall symmetry, chakra emblem overhead.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central chakra-wheel dominating the upper field; below, the runner and the pursuing ordinance arranged in rhythmic patterns; lotus borders and vine motifs, deep indigo ground with gold and white detailing, peacocks perched near the chakra."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder rumble (soft)","mridangam pulse","conch accent at end","wind gusts"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: konyathā = kaḥ + anyathā; kartumarhati = kartum + arhati; suśīghramapi = suśīghram + api; vidhānamanudhāvati = vidhānam + anudhāvati.
FAQs
It emphasizes the strong momentum of past (prāktana) karma: destiny (vidhāna) follows even the swift. The focus is on the binding power of prior actions rather than on human control over outcomes.
The verse frames karma as a binding continuity from the past that shapes present experience, portraying results as orderly (vidhāna) rather than random.
It cautions against thinking one can simply outrun consequences; instead, it encourages responsibility for actions and acceptance of outcomes shaped by prior deeds.