Shloka 126
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
सर्वं व्यर्थमहं मन्ये जनानां च प्रवादतः । अद्य वह्निमहं यास्ये प्रपश्यंतु नरास्सुराः
sarvaṃ vyarthamahaṃ manye janānāṃ ca pravādataḥ | adya vahnimahaṃ yāsye prapaśyaṃtu narāssurāḥ
เพราะถ้อยคำใส่ร้ายของผู้คน ข้าถือว่าสรรพสิ่งไร้ความหมาย วันนี้ข้าจะก้าวเข้าสู่กองเพลิง—ให้มนุษย์และเหล่าเทพได้ประจักษ์เถิด
Unspecified (a distressed speaker declaring intent to enter fire; context needed from surrounding verses to name the character)
Concept: Slander can drive the mind to nihilism; dharma seeks truth beyond public rumor, yet the verse shows the tragic pressure of loka-vāda (people’s talk).
Application: Do not let gossip define your worth; seek lawful, compassionate means of vindication and inner steadiness rather than self-harm.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A distressed noble figure stands before a blazing sacrificial fire, eyes fixed with wounded determination as whispers and pointing fingers gather at the edge of the scene. Above, faint celestial silhouettes watch, as if the cosmos itself is being summoned to judge what human tongues have twisted.","primary_figures":["distressed speaker (noble person)","onlookers (humans)","devas (as witnesses in the sky)","Agni (personified fire)"],"setting":"open courtyard near a ritual fire-pit, crowd at a distance, sky as a second stage for divine spectators","lighting_mood":"dramatic","color_palette":["flame orange","smoke gray","ash white","crimson red","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central figure poised at the edge of a roaring homa-kunda, Agni rising with stylized tongues of flame, gold leaf highlights on flames and divine witnesses in the sky, rich reds and oranges, ornate borders, expressive yet iconic faces.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a tense courtyard scene with delicate flames, expressive eyes, small clustered onlookers whispering, cool blue sky with tiny devas above, refined linework and emotional subtlety.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense red-yellow flames, stylized crowd and sky-devas, large expressive eyes conveying anguish and resolve, temple-wall composition with rhythmic flame patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative tableau framed by floral borders, stylized fire as a lotus-like blaze, celestial watchers above, deep blue background with gold accents, emphasis on symbolic purity and witness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["crackling fire","crowd murmurs","conch shell in the distance","sudden hush before the leap"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vyartham-aham = vyartham + aham; vahnim-aham = vahnim + aham; narās-surāḥ = narāḥ + surāḥ (visarga sandhi).
FAQs
The speaker expresses despair and humiliation caused by public slander, leading to a drastic vow to enter fire as a public demonstration.
No. The verse depicts an extreme reaction within a narrative setting. Purāṇic literature commonly uses dramatic vows (like entering fire) to highlight social pressures, truth-testing motifs, or the consequences of defamation, not as a general ethical prescription.
It warns about the destructive power of rumor and slander (pravāda) and how social speech can push individuals toward harmful decisions—implying the need for restraint, fairness, and compassion in public judgment.