Shloka 141
Puṣkara Sacrifice: Gāyatrī’s Marriage, Sāvitrī’s Wrath, Rudra’s Test, and the Tīrtha-Māhātmya
भर्त्रा मे विधृता पत्नी कथमेतदहं वदे । ब्रह्मोवाच । ऋत्विग्भिस्त्वरितश्चाहं दीक्षाकालादनंतरम्
bhartrā me vidhṛtā patnī kathametadahaṃ vade | brahmovāca | ṛtvigbhistvaritaścāhaṃ dīkṣākālādanaṃtaram
“ภรรยาของข้าถูกสามีของข้าเองพาไป—ข้าจะกล่าวเรื่องนี้ได้อย่างไร” พระพรหมตรัสว่า “แล้วเมื่อถูกเร่งเร้าโดยฤตวิช (พราหมณ์ผู้ประกอบพิธี) ข้าก็ดำเนินไปโดยฉับพลัน ทันทีหลังเวลาการทิศา (การรับศีลพิธี) สิ้นสุด”
Brahmā (explicitly marked: ‘brahmovāca’); the first sentence is spoken by an unnamed prior speaker in the narrative context
Concept: Ritual life (yajña) is not merely technical; it is entangled with household order (gṛhastha-dharma) and the ethical treatment of the spouse.
Application: Do not hide wrongdoing behind ‘procedure’ or social role; urgency in duty should not trample relational righteousness.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a grand yajña hall, a distressed speaker clutches their garment, unable to voice the scandal of a spouse being taken, while Brahmā—four-faced, solemn—steps forward as priests urge him onward. The air is thick with incense and urgency, as the initiation moment has just passed and the ritual clock cannot be reversed.","primary_figures":["Brahmā","Officiating priests (ṛtvijas)","Distressed prior speaker (unnamed)"],"setting":"Vedic sacrificial arena with altars, ladles, kusa grass, and priests in white; a sense of formal order strained by personal crisis.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ivory white","vermillion","burnished gold","smoke gray","sandalwood brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Brahmā with four faces and ornate crown advances in a yajña hall; priests gesture urgently with ladles and ritual implements; a distressed figure at the side shows shame and grief; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, intricate altar details, stylized flames and incense, gem-like ornamentation on Brahmā.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined yajña pavilion with delicate linework; Brahmā moving forward while priests cluster, hands raised in urging; the distressed speaker turned away, face half-hidden; cool yet tense palette with soft smoke washes, precise depiction of ritual vessels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Brahmā centered with bold outlines; priests in rhythmic arrangement, emphasizing motion and urgency; ritual fire as stylized motif; warm reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall symmetry, expressive eyes conveying tension.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: yajña scene framed by floral borders; Brahmā radiant at center, priests in patterned rows; decorative flames and garlands; deep blues and gold accents, lotus motifs woven into the pavilion textiles, dense ornamental detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["chanting of priests","clink of ritual vessels","fire crackle","conch shell cue","incense-laden hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कथमेतदहं = कथम् + एतत् + अहम्; ब्रह्मोवाच = ब्रह्मा + उवाच; ऋत्विग्भिस्त्वरितश्चाहं = ऋत्विग्भिः + त्वरितः + च + अहम्; दीक्षाकालादनंतरम् = दीक्षाकालात् + अनन्तरम्
FAQs
The verse explicitly signals “brahmovāca” (“Brahmā said”), marking Brahmā as the speaker for the latter portion; the opening line belongs to an unnamed speaker immediately preceding Brahmā’s reply.
It means “immediately after the time of initiation (dīkṣā),” indicating prompt action following the formal consecration/commitment that begins a rite.
The opening expresses shame, distress, or moral conflict—someone struggles to describe a violation or humiliation involving a spouse—setting up a response that moves the narrative forward through Brahmā’s statement.