Shloka 19
The Power of a Chaste Woman: Indra and Kāma Confront Satī’s Radiance
संबोध्य चैवं स सुराधिनाथं चापं गृहीतं सशरं सुपुष्पम् । उवाच क्रीडां पुरतः स्थितां तां विधाय मायां भवती प्रयातु
saṃbodhya caivaṃ sa surādhināthaṃ cāpaṃ gṛhītaṃ saśaraṃ supuṣpam | uvāca krīḍāṃ purataḥ sthitāṃ tāṃ vidhāya māyāṃ bhavatī prayātu
یوں دیوتاؤں کے سردار سے خطاب کر کے اس نے خوشبو دار پھولوں والا کمان اور تیر ہاتھ میں لیا۔ پھر کھیل کے لیے سامنے کھڑی اس بانو سے کہا: “اپنا مایوی روپ دھار کر اب روانہ ہو جاؤ۔”
Unclear from the single-verse context (a male figure addressing Indra and a lady).
Concept: Māyā can be deliberately assumed and dismissed; appearances are tools in conflict and persuasion, not ultimate reality.
Application: Be wary of seductive appearances and strategic illusions; cultivate discernment (viveka) before acting on what is merely ‘presented.’
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A male figure—likely Kāma or a deva agent—stands poised with a bow strung with a single flower-arrow, petals luminous as if alive. Before him, a lady stands ‘for sport,’ and the moment freezes as he commands her to assume an illusory form and depart, the air shimmering with māyā like heat-haze over gold.","primary_figures":["Kāma (or a deva agent holding the flower-bow)","Indra (Śakra)","A lady (unnamed; target/participant in the stratagem)"],"setting":"Celestial courtyard with lotus pools, jeweled steps, and cloud-canopies; a small audience of devas at a distance","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit brilliance mixed with iridescent shimmer (māyā effect)","color_palette":["iridescent pearl","lotus pink","deep indigo","antique gold","jade green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central figure holding a richly ornamented floral bow and arrow, petals rendered with raised paint; Indra nearby with gold leaf halo; the lady in ornate sari, mid-turn as if about to vanish into illusion; heavy gold leaf embellishment, rich reds/greens, gem-studded jewelry, lotus pool and carved pillars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene of poised gesture—flower-arrow drawn slightly, not released; the lady’s veil catching light as she prepares to assume māyā; cool indigo shadows, soft lotus-pink accents, refined facial expressions, airy cloud architecture.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized eyes; the flower-bow exaggerated with decorative blossoms; the lady shown with a swirling aura indicating māyā; strong red-yellow-green palette with deep blue background, temple mural symmetry and patterned borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate lotus border and floral arabesques; central figures framed by peacocks and cows-as-symbolic witnesses of līlā; deep blue cloth ground with gold and pink detailing; the lady’s ‘māyā departure’ shown as a spiral of lotus petals and shimmering dots."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","string drone","whispering wind","water ripples","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: च + एवम् → चैवम्; सः + सुराधिनाथम् → स सुराधिनाथम्; च + आपम् → चापम्; स + शरम् → सशरम्; सु + पुष्पम् → सुपुष्पम्
FAQs
“Surādhinātha” means the overlord of the gods and commonly refers to Indra.
It indicates adopting or projecting an illusory/magical form—suggesting disguise, supernatural display, or a narrative device to transition the scene.
The verse highlights how power and appearances can be mediated through māyā (illusion), implying caution about taking surface appearances as ultimate reality—an often-recurring Purāṇic theme.