Shloka 12
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
भर्तारं च गुणोपेतं कुलीनं च महाधनम् । सुंदरं रतिदक्षं च त्यक्त्वा नीचं भजेद्वधूः
bhartāraṃ ca guṇopetaṃ kulīnaṃ ca mahādhanam | suṃdaraṃ ratidakṣaṃ ca tyaktvā nīcaṃ bhajedvadhūḥ
แม้ละทิ้งสามีผู้เปี่ยมคุณธรรม สูงศักดิ์ มั่งคั่งยิ่ง งดงาม และชำนาญในรติแล้ว ภรรยาก็ยังอาจหันไปคบชายผู้ต่ำทรามได้
Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses; likely within a didactic dialogue in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 52)
Concept: Worldly excellence (wealth, beauty, skill) cannot secure loyalty when desire is ungoverned; dharma requires inner discipline beyond external qualifications.
Application: Do not rely solely on status/appearance to sustain relationships; cultivate shared dharma—truth, restraint, prayer, and accountability; seek steadiness through spiritual practice.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A domestic palace chamber rendered as moral allegory: a noble husband stands in bright, orderly light with symbols of virtue—scripture, lamp, and gifts—while the wife turns away toward a darker doorway where a ‘base’ figure waits in shadow. The composition emphasizes the tragedy of misdirected desire and the fragility of worldly assurances.","primary_figures":["virtuous husband (archetypal gṛhastha)","wife (archetypal)","shadowed ‘base man’ figure"],"setting":"royal household interior with carved pillars, a lit lamp, and a threshold doorway opening to darkness","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","ivory","deep umber","ruby red","shadow violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: palace interior with gold leaf highlighting the lamp and the husband’s aura of virtue; ornate textiles and jewelry; the wife mid-turn toward a dark doorway; strong narrative contrast, rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined palace scene with delicate expressions conveying lament; soft dawn light on the husband, cool shadow tones near the doorway; intricate architectural detailing and subtle emotional storytelling.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic gesture of turning away; bright yellow-red haloed lamp near the husband; dark doorway with stylized shadow figure; traditional mural palette and symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: domestic allegory framed by floral borders; lamp and lotus motifs; patterned textiles; strong color blocks—golden center vs indigo edge—suggesting dharma vs desire."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft lamenting tanpura drone","temple bell (faint)","footsteps echo in a hall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरिरुवाच/द्विज उवाच प्रकारे विसर्ग-लोप; गुणोपेतम् (गुण + उपेत); भजेद्वधूः → भजेत् वधूः (त्+व् संधि)
FAQs
It warns that desire or poor judgment can lead someone to reject a partner possessing virtue and stability, and instead choose an unworthy association—highlighting the need for discernment (viveka) in relationships.
Not explicitly in this standalone verse; it reads as nīti/dharma-style social instruction. Identifying a direct bhakti framing would require the surrounding context of Adhyaya 52.
The speaker is not identifiable from the single verse alone. The Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa often uses frame dialogues (commonly sages/narrators), so the immediate prior and following verses are needed to attribute it accurately.