Shloka 22
The Yayāti Episode: Succession and Royal Dharma Instructions to Pūru
यज यज्ञैर्हृषीकेशं पुण्यात्मा भव सर्वदा । प्रजानां कंटकान्सर्वान्मर्दयस्व दिने दिने
yaja yajñairhṛṣīkeśaṃ puṇyātmā bhava sarvadā | prajānāṃ kaṃṭakānsarvānmardayasva dine dine
จงบูชาพระหฤษีเกศะด้วยยัญพิธีทั้งหลาย จงเป็นผู้มีจิตบุญและชอบธรรมเสมอ และวันแล้ววันเล่า จงบดขยี้หนามทั้งปวงของประชา คือผู้กดขี่ผู้ก่อทุกข์
Unknown (verse presented without surrounding narrative context)
Concept: Rulership is sanctified by worship of Hṛṣīkeśa and by active removal of oppression; devotion and governance are inseparable duties.
Application: Pair personal worship with civic responsibility: support just institutions, protect the vulnerable, and treat daily work as an offering that reduces ‘thorns’—harmful habits, corruption, and cruelty.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dharmic king stands before a blazing yajña-kuṇḍa, offering ghee while envisioning Hṛṣīkeśa in radiant form above the fire. Behind him, relieved villagers gather as shadowy figures of oppressors dissolve like thorns burned away, symbolizing daily protection through sacred duty.","primary_figures":["Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)","dharmic king","royal purohita","villagers (prajā)"],"setting":"Royal sacrificial pavilion with carved pillars, yajña fire altar, banners, and a distant view of a well-ordered city gate.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","vermillion red","smoke gray","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Hṛṣīkeśa appearing above a yajña fire with a halo of thick gold leaf, the king offering ghee with folded hands, gem-studded crown and ornaments, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate mandapa pillars, stylized flames and lotus motifs, heavy gold embossing on Vishnu’s crown, chakra and shankha highlighted in relief.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a serene yajña pavilion with delicate linework, the king and priest in refined profiles, Vishnu as a soft luminous vision in the sky, cool yet warm-balanced palette, lyrical trees and distant hills, subtle smoke curls, villagers at the edge with gentle expressions of safety and gratitude.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat yet vibrant natural pigments, Hṛṣīkeśa in deep blue with large expressive eyes, the yajña fire in stylized reds and oranges, the king in traditional attire, symmetrical composition like a temple wall panel, decorative borders with lotus and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vishnu-centered composition with lotus borders and intricate floral vines, the yajña altar framed by peacocks and temple bells, devotees and villagers arranged in rhythmic rows, deep indigo background with gold highlights, conch and chakra motifs repeated as auspicious patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","fire crackle","conch shell","low drum (mridanga)","murmured mantra"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यज्ञैर्हृषीकेशं → यज्ञैः + हृषीकेशम् (visarga sandhi). कंटकान्सर्वान् → कण्टकान् + सर्वान् (anusvāra/assimilation in writing).
FAQs
It advises sustained worship of Vishnu (Hṛṣīkeśa) through yajña and the ethical duty of a ruler/leader to protect people by subduing harmful elements.
Hṛṣīkeśa is a name of Vishnu, meaning “Lord of the senses,” emphasizing divine mastery and guidance over the faculties that drive action.
It is a metaphor for oppressive, criminal, or disruptive forces—anything that causes suffering or obstruction to the welfare of the populace.