Shloka 26
The Burning of Tripura and the Sacred Greatness of Amarakāṇṭaka
Jvāleśvara on the Narmadā
दह्यंते दानवास्तत्र शतशोथ सहस्रशः । हंसकारंडवाकीर्णा नलिनी सह पंकजा
dahyaṃte dānavāstatra śataśotha sahasraśaḥ | haṃsakāraṃḍavākīrṇā nalinī saha paṃkajā
ที่นั่นพวกทานวะถูกเผาไหม้เป็นร้อย ๆ แล้วเป็นพัน ๆ สระบัวที่เต็มไปด้วยหงส์และนกการัณฑวะ มีทั้งดอกบัวและบัวน้ำมากมาย
Unspecified (narratorial voice; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue framework of the Svargakhaṇḍa)
Concept: Pleasure and beauty do not guarantee safety; adharma invites consuming consequences even amid splendor.
Application: Do not confuse comfort with righteousness; cultivate dharma and devotion as the real shelter, not environment or status.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast lotus-pond glitters with swans and kāraṇḍava birds, its surface crowded with pink lotuses and pale water-lilies—yet beyond the water’s edge, ranks of Dānavas are engulfed in a roaring wall of flame. The scene feels impossibly beautiful and horrifying at once, as if paradise itself has become a theatre of judgment.","primary_figures":["Dānavas (burning)","Swans (haṁsa)","Kāraṇḍava birds"],"setting":"Celestial nalinī (lotus-lake) with ornate embankments and distant palatial silhouettes under smoke-streaked skies.","lighting_mood":"firelit twilight over luminous water","color_palette":["lotus pink","ivory white","flame orange","lapis blue","charcoal black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a jeweled lotus-lake with gold leaf highlights on rippling water and lotus petals; stylized swans and kāraṇḍavas in rhythmic patterns; at the far bank, Dānavas in dramatic poses amid gold-embossed flames, ornate celestial railings and arches framing the composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate birds on a cool blue lake with fine lotus detailing; distant figures of Dānavas rendered smaller, swallowed by stylized flame tongues; soft gradients of smoke in the sky, refined naturalism emphasizing the eerie contrast of serenity and catastrophe.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, patterned lotus field, swans with decorative plumage; intense red-orange flame band consuming dark-toned Dānavas; symmetrical composition like a temple panel, with ornamental borders and strong color blocks.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: lotus-lake as a dense floral carpet with intricate borders; birds arranged in decorative symmetry; flames as stylized motifs at the margins, deep indigo background with gold accents, emphasizing the paradox of sacred beauty amid destruction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling fire","wing-flutters","water lapping","distant cries","low drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानवास्तत्र = दानवाः + तत्र; शतशोथ = शतशः + अथ (textual variant/orthography); पंकजा = पङ्कजा.
FAQs
It describes the destruction (burning) of the Dānavas in great numbers, alongside a vivid depiction of lotus-ponds filled with swans and waterfowl.
They are conventional Purāṇic markers of an idealized celestial or sacred landscape—serene waters, abundant lotuses, and auspicious birds—used to heighten contrast with the violence of the Dānavas’ burning.
The verse juxtaposes beauty and order in the sacred/celestial realm with the downfall of destructive forces (Dānavas), implying that adharmic aggression meets ruin while the divine realm remains harmoniously ordered.