Shloka 25
Glorification of Vārāṇasī: Kapardīśvara Liṅga and the Piśācamocana Tīrtha
कुरुष्व तं नमस्तुभ्यं त्वामहं शरणं गतः । इत्युक्तः शंकुकर्णोऽथ पिशाचमिदमब्रवीत्
kuruṣva taṃ namastubhyaṃ tvāmahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ | ityuktaḥ śaṃkukarṇo'tha piśācamidamabravīt
“Gawin mo iyon; pagpupugay sa iyo. Sa iyo ako’y kumupkop at sumilong.” Nang masabi ito, si Śaṅkukarṇa ay nagsalita ng ganitong mga salita sa piśāca.
Śaṅkukarṇa (speaking to the piśāca, after being addressed by someone seeking refuge)
Concept: Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and respectful address (‘namas’) open the door to transformation; guidance can flow even in unlikely relationships when humility is present.
Application: When seeking help, approach with humility and clarity; when giving help, speak in a way that uplifts rather than humiliates, even if the seeker is socially ‘othered’.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śaṅkukarṇa, calm and composed, stands with a gesture of reassurance as a piśāca bows low, palms joined, uttering refuge-words. The atmosphere shifts from menace to instruction: the shadows soften, and a small lamp or sacred thread detail signals the entry of dharma into a darkened life.","primary_figures":["Śaṅkukarṇa","piśāca (repentant, non-grotesque depiction)"],"setting":"Forest edge near a shrine-stone or wayside altar, with a small oil lamp and a banyan tree suggesting a liminal meeting place","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit in dusk","color_palette":["deep umber","lamp gold","leaf green","saffron","charcoal gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śaṅkukarṇa in dignified posture with gold leaf halo, right hand in teaching/assurance mudrā; piśāca kneeling with folded hands, softened features; ornate arch and border, rich reds/greens, gold leaf highlights on lamp and ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate teacher-disciple moment under a tree, delicate expressions—Śaṅkukarṇa compassionate, piśāca humbled; cool dusk tones with a warm lamp glow, fine brushwork and lyrical foliage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures—Śaṅkukarṇa as dharmic teacher, piśāca in submissive posture; red-yellow-green pigments, ornamental background bands, clear narrative readability.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central vignette framed by floral borders and lamp motifs; Śaṅkukarṇa and the piśāca rendered as devotional silhouettes with intricate textile patterns, deep blue ground with gold and saffron accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft bell","night insects","gentle tanpura drone","leaf rustle","brief conch accent at ‘śaraṇam’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नमस्तुभ्यं = नमः + तुभ्यम्; त्वामहं = त्वाम् + अहम्; इत्युक्तः = इति + उक्तः; शंकुकर्णोऽथ = शंकुकर्णः + अथ; पिशाचमिदमब्रवीत् = पिशाचम् + इदम् + अब्रवीत्.
FAQs
It expresses the act of taking refuge—approaching another with surrender and trust for protection or guidance.
Śaṅkukarṇa is the speaker here, and he addresses a piśāca (a ghoul/demonic being).
It highlights humility and the formal act of supplication—salutation and surrender—often presented as the proper preface to seeking help or resolution in Purāṇic narratives.