Shloka 28
Glory of Nīla Mountain and the Prelude to King Ratnagrīva’s Legend
कन्यां रूपेण संपन्नां न दद्यात्कुलशीलिने । विक्रीणाति द्रव्यलोभात्पिता पापेन मोहितः
kanyāṃ rūpeṇa saṃpannāṃ na dadyātkulaśīline | vikrīṇāti dravyalobhātpitā pāpena mohitaḥ
บิดาไม่พึงยกธิดาผู้เพียบพร้อมด้วยรูปงามให้แก่ชายผู้ไร้ตระกูลสูงและไร้ความประพฤติดี ด้วยความโลภทรัพย์ บิดาผู้ถูกบาปลวงย่อมประหนึ่งขายนาง
Unspecified (contextual narrator within Pātāla-khaṇḍa; commonly framed as Pulastya instructing Bhīṣma in this section)
Concept: Kanyā-dāna must be governed by kula and śīla (lineage and conduct), not by wealth; greed turns a sacrament into a sale and binds the giver to pāpa.
Application: Treat marriage decisions as ethical stewardship: prioritize character, responsibility, and shared values; refuse dowry-like transactions; keep sacred commitments free from financial coercion.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a lamp-lit courtyard, a father hesitates before a marriage rite: on one side stands a humble, virtuous groom with calm eyes; on the other, a wealthy but arrogant suitor surrounded by glittering coins and attendants. The maiden, adorned yet solemn, holds a lotus and looks toward the path of dharma, while shadowy forms of ‘lobha’ coil near the father’s hands as he reaches for gold.","primary_figures":["a concerned father (gṛhastha)","a maiden (kanyā)","two prospective grooms (one virtuous, one wealthy-proud)","personified Lobha/Pāpa as shadowy allegory"],"setting":"North Indian-style domestic courtyard with ritual platform (vedī), marriage garlands, and a small household shrine to Viṣṇu in the background.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp-flame amber","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","shadow indigo","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a gṛhastha father at a marriage-vedī tempted by heaps of gold, the maiden in lotus-pink silk with heavy jewelry, a small Viṣṇu shrine behind; allegorical dark tendrils of Lobha near the father’s hands; gold leaf embellishment on ornaments and coins, rich reds and greens, gem-studded borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene with delicate brushwork—maiden with refined features and soft veil, virtuous groom in simple attire, wealthy suitor with ornate turban; lyrical naturalism with flowering creepers and a small tulasī pot near the shrine; cool yet warm-balanced palette, fine linework and expressive eyes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat yet vibrant pigments—father centered, maiden to the side holding a lotus, two grooms contrasted by posture; a small Viṣṇu panel in the background; red/yellow/green dominance with controlled gold accents, temple-wall aesthetic and large stylized eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma tableau—lotus motifs framing the maiden, ornate floral borders, a small Viṣṇu shrine with garlands; gold and deep blue background, intricate patterns around coins to signify temptation, peacocks at the border as witnesses to sacred vow."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low mridangam pulse","soft conch shell","courtyard ambience","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दद्यात्कुलशीलिने → dadyāt kula-śīline; द्रव्यलोभात्पिता → dravya-lobhāt pitā.
FAQs
It warns that marrying a daughter based on wealth or superficial qualities, while ignoring character and family conduct, becomes a form of moral wrongdoing—akin to selling her.
It says the father is “deluded by sin” (pāpena mohitaḥ), indicating that greed clouds judgment and leads to unethical action.
The priority is kula and śīla—noble lineage/social integrity and good conduct—rather than material gain.