Shloka 20
Account of the Ripening of Karma
Childlessness, Offspring, and Remedial Dharma
यो नरो गोधनं कुर्याच्छूद्रः कुर्याद्विमोहितः । ब्राह्मणीहरणं वापि कर्मणा स नपुंसकः
yo naro godhanaṃ kuryācchūdraḥ kuryādvimohitaḥ | brāhmaṇīharaṇaṃ vāpi karmaṇā sa napuṃsakaḥ
บุรุษใดลักขโมยโคทรัพย์ หรือศูทรผู้หลงผิดกระทำเช่นนั้น หรือผู้ใดด้วยการกระทำลักพาสตรีพราหมณ์ ย่อมด้วยกรรมนั้นกลายเป็นผู้เสื่อมศักดิ์ศรีดุจคนถูกตอน
Unspecified (narratorial/dharmic instruction within Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Theft of cattle-wealth and abduction/violation of a brāhmaṇa woman are grave adharma leading to loss of honor and virility (napuṃsakatva) as karmic consequence.
Application: Practice strict non-stealing (including exploitation), respect women’s autonomy and safety, and avoid actions that harm community trust; cultivate self-control and accountability.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stark moral tableau: a cattle pen under a stormy sky where a thief is caught mid-act, while a radiant, protective aura surrounds a brāhmaṇa household in the distance. The thief’s shadow appears diminished and broken, symbolizing loss of tejas and honor as the cosmic law closes in.","primary_figures":["cattle thief","village guardians (optional)","brāhmaṇa household silhouettes","symbolic Dharma/Yama presence (subtle)"],"setting":"rural cowshed and village edge, boundary fence, distant sacred fire smoke from a brāhmaṇa home","lighting_mood":"storm-lit with flashes","color_palette":["iron gray","lightning white","oxblood red","dark forest green","dusty ochre"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic dharma-warning scene—cowshed, thief recoiling, distant brāhmaṇa home with sacred lamp; gold leaf used for lightning and a faint Dharma emblem, rich reds/greens, ornate border framing the moral lesson.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tense rural night with delicate detailing of cattle, fence lines, and expressive faces; storm clouds over rolling hills, cool palette, moral contrast between the calm brāhmaṇa home and the thief’s agitation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized cattle and figures; Yama/Dharma motif as a symbolic backdrop, earthy pigments, strong narrative clarity and ethical emphasis.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition—cows as sacred motifs within ornate borders; the wrongdoer rendered smaller, surrounded by thorn-vine patterns; deep blues/greys with gold highlights, emphasizing dharma’s protective canopy over the righteous."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder","sharp temple bell strikes","cattle lowing","urgent drum pulse","sudden silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुर्याच्छूद्रः = कुर्यात् + शूद्रः; कुर्याद्विमोहितः = कुर्यात् + विमोहितः; वापि = वा + अपि
FAQs
It condemns serious transgressions—stealing cattle-wealth and abducting a brāhmaṇa woman—stating they lead to severe moral and social degradation.
While napuṃsakaḥ can denote a literal eunuch, Purāṇic dharma passages often use it as a strong moral-legal censure implying loss of honour, potency, and social standing due to grievous wrongdoing.
Cattle were central to livelihood, ritual economy, and dharmic symbolism; harming or stealing them is treated as a major offense in many dharma-oriented texts.