Shloka 87
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
मुखेनाग्निं समिंधीत मुखादग्निरजायत । परस्त्रियं न भाषेत नायाज्यं याजयेद्बुधः
mukhenāgniṃ samiṃdhīta mukhādagnirajāyata | parastriyaṃ na bhāṣeta nāyājyaṃ yājayedbudhaḥ
พึงก่อไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์ด้วยปาก เพราะไฟบังเกิดจากปาก บัณฑิตไม่พึงสนทนากับภรรยาของผู้อื่น และไม่พึงเป็นปุโรหิตประกอบยัญแก่ผู้ที่ไม่สมควรแก่การบูชายัญ
Unspecified (narrative injunction within Svarga-khaṇḍa; exact speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: Agni is linked to mouth/speech—therefore speech must be pure; maintain strict ethical boundaries with others’ spouses and uphold sacrificial propriety by refusing to officiate for the unfit.
Application: Guard speech and interactions to avoid impropriety; maintain professional ethics—do not lend religious/ethical legitimacy to harmful or exploitative patrons; keep the mouth ‘consecrated’ through truthful, restrained words and mantra.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest sits before a sacred fire, lips softly shaping mantras as the flame rises like a golden tongue—visually linking mouth and agni. Behind him, a translucent moral tableau shows a respectful boundary: the priest turns away from a tempting conversation at a doorway, and a shadowy figure marked ‘ayājya’ is refused entry to the ritual space, emphasizing integrity.","primary_figures":["Vedic priest/brāhmaṇa","person seeking improper conversation (another’s wife, depicted symbolically)","unfit patron (ayājya)","Agni (personified within flame, optional)"],"setting":"Yajña-śālā with fire altar, mantra scroll/palm-leaf, and a threshold separating sacred space from worldly temptation","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["flame gold","smoke gray","crimson vermilion","midnight blue","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central yajña-kuṇḍa with towering flame rendered in gold leaf, priest chanting with a radiant mouth-to-flame visual motif, ornate pillars and ritual vessels, side vignette of the priest respectfully averting gaze from an improper approach, and another vignette refusing an ayājya patron—rich reds/greens, embossed gold borders, jewel-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined priest by a small fire altar, delicate depiction of mantra recitation, flame shaped like a golden tongue, subtle narrative split-scene showing ethical refusal and boundary-keeping, cool blues with warm firelight, lyrical restraint in expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized agni with anthropomorphic suggestion, priest in iconic posture of japa/recitation, symbolic figures at the edge of the frame representing temptation and unfit patron, strong reds/yellows/greens with temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central sacred fire framed by lotus borders, conch and bells, Vaishnava symbols (tilaka, śālagrāma on a small pedestal) subtly included to link yajña to Viṣṇu, narrative side panels of ethical restraint, deep indigo ground with gold and vermilion highlights, intricate floral motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["fire crackle","mantra cadence","conch shell (brief)","temple bell strike","hushed assembly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मुखेन+अग्निम् → मुखेनाग्निम्; मुखात्+अग्निः → मुखादग्निः; अग्निः+अजायत → अग्निरजायत; न+अयाज्यम् → नायाज्यम्; याजयेत्+बुधः → याजयेद्बुधः.
FAQs
It teaches restraint and purity of conduct: avoid improper intimacy (such as conversing with another man’s wife in a compromising way) and maintain ritual integrity by not officiating sacrifices for an unqualified patron.
It uses a cosmogonic/ritual rationale to support disciplined speech and ritual practice: the mouth is treated as sacred, linked with Agni, so speech and ritual utterance must be controlled and pure.
Ayājya refers to a person considered unfit as a sacrificial patron (due to disqualification by conduct, status, or rule in a given tradition). The verse advises a wise officiant not to perform rites on behalf of such a person.