The Episode of Cyavana
Cyavana’s Hermitage and the Power of Tapas
तस्मादियं महाभूप मह्यं देया यथाविधि । ततश्चोत्पातशमनं भविष्यति न संशयः
tasmādiyaṃ mahābhūpa mahyaṃ deyā yathāvidhi | tataścotpātaśamanaṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
เพราะฉะนั้น ข้าแต่มหาภูปะ สิ่งนี้พึงมอบแก่ข้าตามพิธีอันถูกต้อง แล้วการระงับลางร้ายจักบังเกิดขึ้น—หาได้มีข้อสงสัยไม่
Unspecified (a petitioner/advisor addressing a king within the narrative)
Concept: Properly performed giving/ritual action can pacify ominous disturbances; śānti arises from aligning conduct with prescribed dharma.
Application: When repairing harm, follow due process: restitution, correct procedure, and guidance from qualified elders/teachers; do not improvise ethics.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An advisor or petitioner stands before the king, extending hands in a formal request for a ritually proper gift, while priests prepare a small śānti-homa nearby. The king, still shaken by omens, listens as the promise of ‘utpāta-śamana’ hangs in the air like a fragile bridge back to order.","primary_figures":["king (mahābhūpa)","petitioner/advisor","priests","ritual assistants"],"setting":"palace ritual pavilion or courtyard with altar, offerings, and orderly arrangement of vessels","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ghee-gold","vermillion","white ash","dark teak brown","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: royal pavilion with gold-leaf ornamentation; king seated on a throne, petitioner standing with respectful firmness; ritual altar with embossed gold flames; rich reds/greens in drapery; gem-like detailing on vessels and ornaments; composition emphasizing ‘yathāvidhi’ orderliness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court-ritual scene with delicate lines; small homa-kunda, priests in white; petitioner gesturing toward the prescribed gift; soft warm light pooling around the altar; restrained palette with bright vermillion accents for ritual items.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic ritual tableau—altar centered, king and petitioner in profile; bold outlines; strong red/yellow/green blocks; stylized vessels and flames; emphasis on procedural clarity and moral restoration.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of vines and lotuses framing a śānti-rite scene; deep blue ground with gold highlights; altar flames stylized like lotus tongues; figures arranged symmetrically to convey restored cosmic order; intricate textile patterns on the king’s seat."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["mantra murmurs","homa fire crackle","small bell rhythm","conch shell (closing note)","soft court ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मादियं = तस्मात् + इयम्; ततश्चोत्पातशमनं = ततः + च + उत्पातशमनम्.
It recommends giving (dāna) to the speaker according to proper prescribed procedure (yathāvidhi), stating that this will pacify the ominous portents.
It implies that the act should be performed following scriptural or customary rules—right recipient, right method, and proper ritual correctness—rather than casually.
It links order and responsibility in ritual action with social-religious duty: when a king acts correctly and gives appropriately, disorder symbolized by “omens” is said to subside.