Shloka 61
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
सुकलोवाच । भवतीभिः प्रयुक्तं यत्तन्न स्याद्वेदसंमतम् । यातु भर्तुः पृथग्भूता तिष्ठत्येका सदैव हि
sukalovāca | bhavatībhiḥ prayuktaṃ yattanna syādvedasaṃmatam | yātu bhartuḥ pṛthagbhūtā tiṣṭhatyekā sadaiva hi
سُکَل نے کہا: “تم لوگوں نے جو طریقہ اختیار کیا ہے وہ ویدوں کے مطابق نہیں۔ اسے شوہر سے جدا کر کے جانے دو، اور یہ ہمیشہ اکیلی ہی رہے۔”
Sukala
Concept: Conduct must align with Vedic-sanctioned dharma; deviation invites social/religious censure.
Application: Before adopting a ritual, vow, or social practice, verify it against reliable shastra and competent guidance; avoid impulsive innovations that harm others.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a stern dharma-sabha, Sukala raises his hand in admonition, declaring a practice ‘not Veda-approved.’ A veiled woman stands at a threshold between household and wilderness, the air heavy with judgment and the fracture of companionship.","primary_figures":["Sukala (sage/elder)","the addressed women (group)","a separated wife figure (symbolic)"],"setting":"A village council courtyard beside a small shrine, with palm-leaf manuscripts on a low wooden stand; boundary line between home and forest path visible.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["burnt umber","ash grey","deep maroon","lamp-gold","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Sukala seated on a carved wooden āsana in a dharma-sabha, right hand lifted in śāstraic admonition, palm-leaf manuscripts and a small Vishnu shrine behind; the separated wife at the edge of the frame near a doorway, gold leaf halo around the shrine lamp, rich maroons and greens, gem-studded ornaments on attendants, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet courtyard scene with Sukala as a refined elder, delicate linework and restrained gestures; the woman at the threshold with a distant forest path, cool indigo and muted ochres, lyrical naturalism, small manuscript bundle and tulasi pot hinted in the corner, Himalayan-style architectural eaves.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Sukala’s commanding posture, stylized eyes, manuscript stand and lamp, the woman at the doorway rendered with strong red/yellow/green blocks; temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing moral gravity and ritual authority.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a symbolic dharma-sabha framed by ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; central shrine lamp and manuscript pedestal, figures arranged in devotional symmetry; deep blues and gold accents, intricate textile patterns suggesting social order and its rupture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low murmurs of an assembly","rustle of palm leaves","distant wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्तन्न = यत् + तत् + न; स्याद्वेदसंमतम् = स्यात् + वेदसंमतम्; पृथग्भूता = पृथक् + भूता; तिष्ठत्येका = तिष्ठति + एका; सदैव = सदा + एव.
FAQs
It asserts that conduct should align with Veda-sanctioned dharma; actions contrary to the Vedas are rejected and lead to severe social/moral consequences (here, separation).
The verse explicitly marks the speaker as Sukala (“sukalovāca”).
The implied ethic is that legitimacy and righteousness are measured against recognized scriptural standards, not merely personal preference or expedient practice.