Shloka 190
Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
हस्त्यश्वनरमार्जार मूषकाञ्छशकांस्तथा । व्यालदंष्ट्रि सृगालादीन्हत्वा व्याघातयत्यपि
hastyaśvanaramārjāra mūṣakāñchaśakāṃstathā | vyāladaṃṣṭri sṛgālādīnhatvā vyāghātayatyapi
แม้ได้ฆ่าช้าง ม้า มนุษย์ แมว หนู และนกทั้งหลาย ตลอดจนงูเขี้ยวพิษ สุนัขจิ้งจอกและอื่นๆ—กระนั้นเขาก็ยังประสบความทุกข์ระทม (เป็นผลกรรม)
Unspecified (verse excerpt; speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Violence and wrongdoing generate affliction; ritual objects are not licenses for adharmic action—karmic consequence persists.
Application: Treat spiritual practices as supports for self-restraint: avoid cruelty, cultivate compassion toward animals and humans, and seek atonement (prāyaścitta) when harm is done.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A shadowed forest-edge tableau shows the aftermath of violence: fallen creatures and a hunter-like figure whose body is ringed by thorny, dark karmic vines. Above, a faint, compassionate divine light suggests the possibility of repentance, while the figure’s face shows dawning remorse rather than triumph.","primary_figures":["wrongdoer (symbolic)","animals (elephant, horse, cat, mouse, birds)","serpent and jackal (symbolic)","karmic affliction aura"],"setting":"Dusky woodland with scattered leaves, a distant shrine barely visible through mist; the scene emphasizes consequence rather than gore.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["charcoal black","mud brown","dull crimson","ashen white","pale gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral allegory—central figure entangled in dark vine-like motifs representing pāpa, with a small gold-leaf divine radiance above indicating repentance; ornate border, rich earthy reds and greens subdued by shadow, symbolic animals rendered stylized and respectful (non-gory).","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: twilight forest with delicate trees and mist; the figure’s remorseful expression finely detailed; animals depicted symbolically; cool grays and browns with a thin ribbon of golden light in the sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, allegorical composition with serpentine karmic coils around the figure; limited palette of red/yellow/green darkened; expressive eyes conveying regret; temple mural border patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative-moral panel with patterned foliage and border florals; karmic vines as repeating motifs; animals stylized; a small central lotus of pale gold signifying dharma amid darkness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low drum (mridangam)","wind","distant jackal call","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mūṣakāñchaśakān = mūṣakān + ca + śakān. sṛgālādīn-hatvā = sṛgālādīn + hatvā. First pāda is a list; several items appear as stem-compounds without explicit case endings in the transmitted text; interpreted as accusative plurals governed by hatvā/vyāghātayati.
FAQs
It underscores that violent actions—killing living beings—lead to affliction and negative consequences, reflecting the Purāṇic emphasis on karma and ethical restraint.
Not explicitly in this single verse; it functions more as an ethical-karmic warning. In broader Purāṇic contexts, such ethical conduct is often presented as supportive of spiritual progress, including bhakti.
The enumeration amplifies the gravity and breadth of harm: violence across species and contexts is portrayed as cumulatively destructive and karmically consequential.