Shloka 41
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
यथागतास्तथा सर्वे महाशापभयातुराः । स्वंस्वं स्थानं महाराज इंद्राद्याः प्रययुस्तदा
yathāgatāstathā sarve mahāśāpabhayāturāḥ | svaṃsvaṃ sthānaṃ mahārāja iṃdrādyāḥ prayayustadā
جس طرح وہ آئے تھے، اسی طرح سب کے سب عظیم لعنت کے خوف سے مضطرب ہو کر روانہ ہو گئے۔ پھر، اے مہاراج، اِندر اور دیگر دیوتا اپنے اپنے دھام کو لوٹ گئے۔
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (mahārāja) within the chapter’s dialogue frame
Concept: Fear of a righteous curse symbolizes accountability: power without restraint collapses before dharmic consequence.
Application: When you recognize wrongdoing, withdraw from harmful action promptly; humility and retreat can prevent deeper karmic entanglement.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial gathering breaks apart in sudden sobriety: garlands sway as devas turn away, their faces tense with the fear of a great curse. Indra, still regal, nonetheless withdraws toward his aerial chariot, and the once-playful atmosphere around Manmatha becomes muted and cautious.","primary_figures":["Indra","Manmatha","assembled devas"],"setting":"Cloud-terraced court transitioning into open sky lanes leading to various deva-vimānas; sense of dispersal in multiple directions.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ashen silver","storm blue","pale gold","smoky violet","white jasmine"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a gold-embossed Svarga hall with devas turning away in different directions, their halos dimmed; Indra stepping toward a vimāna, Manmatha lowering his bow; ornate borders, gold leaf on architecture, but with cooler tones to convey retreat and fear.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: drifting clouds and delicate figures moving apart; subtle facial anxiety; cool nocturnal palette; multiple small vimānas departing toward distant horizons, creating a gentle but decisive sense of dispersal.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized devas in profile procession, moving outward; bold outlines, limited depth; fear conveyed through widened eyes and tightened mouths; sky rendered as layered blue bands with rhythmic cloud motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition broken intentionally—figures arranged in outward-flowing arcs; floral borders remain ornate while the central space empties; deep blue ground with silver-gold highlights, emphasizing withdrawal and moral gravity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["wind through clouds","distant conch","fading celestial drums","silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथागतास्तथा → यथा + आगताः + तथा; स्वंस्वं → स्वम् + स्वम् (अनुस्वार-लेखनेन); इंद्राद्याः → इन्द्र + आद्याः (आदि-प्रत्ययार्थ).
FAQs
They depart because they are distressed by fear of a “mahāśāpa” (a great curse), prompting them to return to their own abodes.
It indicates that each deity goes back to his own proper place or realm—emphasizing restored order after a tense or threatening episode.
The verse reflects the Purāṇic idea that even powerful beings remain subject to moral causality; wrongdoing or transgression can bring consequences that compel restraint and withdrawal.