Shloka 49
The Greatness of the Gaṇḍakī River and the Śālagrāma Stone
सैकदा पर्यटन्व्याधः प्राणिमात्रभयंकरः । कालं प्राप्तं न जानाति समीपेऽप्युग्रमानसः
saikadā paryaṭanvyādhaḥ prāṇimātrabhayaṃkaraḥ | kālaṃ prāptaṃ na jānāti samīpe'pyugramānasaḥ
นายพรานผู้เที่ยววนซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า น่าสะพรึงแก่สรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวง มิรู้เลยว่าเวลาที่กำหนดแก่ตนมาถึงแล้ว; แม้อยู่ใกล้ ใจก็ยังดุร้ายและมืดบอด
Unspecified (narratorial verse within the Adhyaya; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma frame of the Pātāla-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Kāla (appointed time) approaches silently; a fierce, deluded mind fails to perceive mortality and thus fails to reform.
Application: Practice daily self-audit (svādhyāya): ‘If death were near, what would I stop today?’ Cultivate sattva through japa, charity, and non-harm.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lone hunter circles the same forest trail repeatedly, footprints overlapping like a wheel of habit. Behind him, unseen yet near, the shadow of Kāla lengthens—an ominous dark gradient creeping toward his heels while animals watch from hiding with wide, fearful eyes.","primary_figures":["the hunter (vyādha)","allegorical Kāla (as a looming shadow)","forest creatures as witnesses"],"setting":"repeating forest path forming a subtle spiral, suggesting saṃsāra","lighting_mood":"late-afternoon gloom with lengthening shadows","color_palette":["ashen black","olive green","dust brown","dull copper","pale moon-white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the hunter shown in repeated poses around a circular border (cycle motif), with gold leaf outlining the wheel-like path; Kāla suggested as a dark halo-shadow with gold-edged contour, rich reds/greens in ornaments, traditional framing emphasizing moral allegory.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a spiral forest path painted delicately, the hunter small against nature, long shadows stretching; cool subdued palette, refined linework, misty atmosphere conveying impending fate.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, the hunter’s fierce face and wide eyes, a large shadow-form behind him; layered foliage patterns, earthy pigments, dramatic negative space for the ‘nearness’ of death.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: circular composition like a mandala of wandering, floral borders with lotus motifs contrasting the hunter’s violence; deep blues and browns, gold highlights marking the ‘appointed time’ as a ring closing in."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["distant owl call","soft wind","subtle temple bell","footsteps on dry leaves","long silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समीपेऽपि = समीपे + अपि; पर्यटन्व्याधः = पर्यटन् + व्याधः (anusvāra/cluster assimilation in recitation).
FAQs
It warns that cruelty and a violent disposition can blind a person to life’s impermanence; even when death is near, one may remain heedless if driven by harmful habits.
Here “kāla” indicates the destined time—often implying death or the inescapable turn of fate—arriving close at hand.
The compound emphasizes that his livelihood and conduct make him a source of fear to all creatures, underscoring the verse’s critique of violence toward living beings.