Shloka 162
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Birth and Boon; Puṣkara’s Glory; Rāma’s Śrāddha; Refuge-Hymn to Śiva
शंखेंदुकुंदधवलं वृषभं प्रवीरमारुह्य यः क्षितिधरेंद्रसुतानुयातः । यात्यंबरं प्रलयमेघविभूषितं च तं शंकरं शरणदं शरणं व्रजामि
śaṃkheṃdukuṃdadhavalaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ pravīramāruhya yaḥ kṣitidhareṃdrasutānuyātaḥ | yātyaṃbaraṃ pralayameghavibhūṣitaṃ ca taṃ śaṃkaraṃ śaraṇadaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
ข้าพเจ้าขอถึงพระศังกระ ผู้ประทานที่พึ่ง—พระองค์ผู้ทรงขึ้นประทับบนโคอันเกรียงไกร ขาวดุจสังข์ จันทร์ และดอกกุนทะ มีพระธิดาแห่งราชาแห่งขุนเขา (พระปารวตี) ตามเสด็จ เสด็จไปในนภาที่ประดับด้วยเมฆดุจเมฆแห่งปรลัย
Narratorial/devotional voice (stotra-style verse; speaker not explicitly marked in the given excerpt)
Concept: Contemplation of the divine couple’s majestic movement cultivates smṛti (remembrance) and fearlessness even amid pralaya-like clouds—divinity is present in both beauty and dissolution.
Application: Use sacred visualization to steady the mind: imagine the ‘white bull’ clarity carrying you through stormy days; keep companionship and dharma (Pārvatī’s following) close in upheaval.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śaṅkara rides the mighty Vṛṣabha, dazzling white like conch, moon, and jasmine, cutting across the open sky. Pārvatī follows close, her presence tender yet regal, while behind them billow pralaya-like clouds—dark, jeweled, and immense—turning the procession into a moving cosmic mural.","primary_figures":["Śaṅkara (Śiva)","Vृषभ (Nandin as bull mount)","Pārvatī (Himavān’s daughter)"],"setting":"Vast sky-scape with towering monsoon-pralaya clouds, glimpses of mountain peaks far below","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["jasmine white","moon-silver","slate cloud-grey","lapis blue","soft rose"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śaṅkara on brilliant white bull with gold leaf halo; Pārvatī adorned with gem-studded ornaments; swirling pralaya clouds rendered as ornate patterned backdrops with gold highlights; rich reds/greens in garments, embossed gold borders, temple-arch framing the sky as a sanctum.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: expansive sky with layered cloud forms, subtle moonlight; white bull delicately shaded; Pārvatī’s veil flowing; distant Himalaya silhouettes; cool palette, refined facial features, lyrical motion and quiet wonder.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, iconic Śaṅkara and Pārvatī with characteristic eyes; bull in stylized white with decorative harness; clouds as rhythmic dark bands; saturated pigments, temple-wall narrative register, strong red/yellow/green accents against deep blue-grey sky.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: sky filled with lotus and cloud motifs; central Śaṅkara on white bull, Pārvatī alongside; ornate floral borders, deep indigo ground with gold filigree; conch and moon motifs repeated as auspicious emblems, intricate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["wind in open sky","distant thunder","temple bells","conch shell","soft cymbals"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śaṅkha+indu+… → śaṃkheṃdu… (anusvāra/saṃdhi); kṣitidhara-indra-sutā-anuyātaḥ → kṣitidhareṃdrasutānuyātaḥ; yāti + ambaram → yātyaṃbaram
FAQs
Śaṅkara (Śiva) is described as being followed by Pārvatī, the daughter of Himālaya, the “lord of mountains.”
It evokes Śiva’s cosmic dimension—his association with the cycles of creation and dissolution—portraying him as moving through a sky ornamented by awe-inspiring, end-time clouds.
The verse centers on śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): approaching Śiva not merely as a deity to praise, but as the direct protector and grantor of shelter (śaraṇada).