Shloka 9
Puṣkara Sacrifice: Gāyatrī’s Marriage, Sāvitrī’s Wrath, Rudra’s Test, and the Tīrtha-Māhātmya
केन त्वमिह चानीता अलक्तांका तु संदरी । शाटीं निवृत्तां कृत्वा तु केन युक्ता च कंबली
kena tvamiha cānītā alaktāṃkā tu saṃdarī | śāṭīṃ nivṛttāṃ kṛtvā tu kena yuktā ca kaṃbalī
โอ้ นางผู้เลอโฉม ผู้มีฝ่าเท้าแต้มสีอาลักตะสีแดง ใครกันพาเจ้ามาที่นี่? และเมื่อถอดผ้าคลุม/ผ้าท่อนบนออกแล้ว ใครเป็นผู้ให้เจ้าสวมผ้าห่มผืนนี้?
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Concept: Auspicious signs and proper attire are not mere aesthetics; they encode social-ritual order, and their disruption prompts inquiry into agency and wrongdoing.
Application: When something feels ‘out of place’—in conduct, relationships, or community—ask careful questions before judging; protect dignity and investigate harm.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A beautiful maiden stands bewildered, her feet bright with red alta, yet her upper shawl is missing and a coarse blanket hangs awkwardly over her shoulders. Onlookers lean in with anxious faces, hands raised in questioning gestures, as if the very fabric of auspiciousness has been abruptly replaced by hardship.","primary_figures":["the maiden (sundarī)","questioning onlookers (gopīs/relatives)"],"setting":"Edge of a ritual or community gathering space, with textiles and offerings nearby","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lac red","cream white","charcoal gray","bronze","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central maiden with vivid alta on feet, missing shawl, draped in a rough blanket, surrounding figures questioning, gold leaf highlights on jewelry and auspicious foot-dye, rich reds and greens, ornate border and arch, expressive yet iconic faces.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene of inquiry, maiden’s red feet contrasted with muted blanket, refined facial expressions of concern, soft interior/exterior threshold setting, cool shadows, fine textile detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines emphasizing the contrast between auspicious red feet and coarse blanket, stylized questioning figures, natural pigments, temple-wall narrative clarity, strong gesture language.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: patterned textiles and floral borders, maiden centered with lotus motifs near her feet, deep blues and gold accents, surrounding figures in symmetrical questioning poses, devotional stylization with intricate fabric patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft murmurs","anklet chime","lamp crackle","distant flute"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tvamiha = tvam + iha; cānītā = ca + ānītā; alaktāṃkā = alaktā + aṃkā (समास); śāṭīṃ nivṛttām = śāṭīm + nivṛttām (no sandhi change); saṃdarī is read as sundarī (common variant); kaṃbalī treated as noun ‘blanket/wrap’ used predicatively.
FAQs
“Alaktāṅkā” refers to being marked with alaktaka (red lac dye), commonly associated with beautification—especially of the feet—often indicating a woman’s adorned or ceremonial state.
On its own, this verse reads as narrative dialogue focused on circumstances and appearance (who brought her, what she is wearing). Any Bhakti or doctrinal point would depend on the wider episode in Adhyaya 17.
The repeated “by whom” suggests scrutiny of agency and responsibility—who caused her to come and who altered her attire—hinting at concerns about propriety, protection, or coercion, depending on the surrounding story.