Shloka 25
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
वीरविक्रम उवाच । तुभ्यं श्वः कन्यकां ब्रह्मन्दास्यामि नास्ति चान्यथा । दक्षिणं च करं दत्वा न कुर्यात्पुरुषाधमः
vīravikrama uvāca | tubhyaṃ śvaḥ kanyakāṃ brahmandāsyāmi nāsti cānyathā | dakṣiṇaṃ ca karaṃ datvā na kuryātpuruṣādhamaḥ
ویروِکرم نے کہا: “اے برہمن! کل میں تمہیں کنیا دوں گا—اس کے سوا کوئی راہ نہیں۔ دایاں ہاتھ دے کر جو وعدہ توڑے، وہی مردوں میں بدترین ہے۔”
Vīravikrama
Concept: Satya and pratijñā-pālana (keeping one’s pledged word) is a mark of nobility; breaking it is adharma.
Application: Make promises sparingly; once given, fulfill them even when inconvenient; treat commitments as sacred offerings.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A heroic householder-king, Vīravikrama, stands before a calm brāhmaṇa, extending his right hand in solemn pledge. The air is charged with the gravity of dharma—witnessed by silent elders and a small sacrificial fire—signaling that a promise has become a sacred bond.","primary_figures":["Vīravikrama","a brāhmaṇa recipient (future groom/mediator)","attendant elders","family priest (purohita)"],"setting":"royal courtyard with a small agni-kuṇḍa, ritual vessels, and a threshold decorated with lotus and mango-leaf toranas","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["saffron gold","deep maroon","ivory white","emerald green","smoky ash-gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vīravikrama in regal attire extends his right hand in pledge to a serene brāhmaṇa beside a small agni-kuṇḍa; gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars, lotus borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, high-relief jewelry detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined court scene with delicate brushwork—Vīravikrama offering his right hand in solemn vow to a brāhmaṇa; cool yet warm-balanced palette, lyrical architecture, soft facial expressions, fine textiles, a small fire altar, and distant garden trees rendered with Himalayan naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments—heroic Vīravikrama making a dharma-pledge gesture, brāhmaṇa with palm-leaf manuscript and kamaṇḍalu; temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, red/yellow/green dominance, stylized flames of the agni-kuṇḍa.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a vow-taking scene framed by lotus creepers and floral borders; central figures in devotional courtly composition, deep blues and gold accents, peacocks at the margins, ornate textile patterns, sacred atmosphere akin to a vrata-kathā tableau."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","crackling fire","hushed assembly silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मन्दास्यामि = ब्रह्मन् + दास्यामि; नास्ति = न + अस्ति; चान्यथा = च + अन्यथा; कुर्यात्पुरुषाधमः = कुर्यात् + पुरुषाधमः
FAQs
It stresses satya-vacana (truthfulness) and keeping one’s pledged word—breaking a promise after giving one’s hand in assurance is condemned as ignoble.
It signifies a formal pledge or assurance—an honor-bound commitment, often used in agreements and marriage-related promises.
It presents dharma as reliability and integrity in commitments, especially in acts involving gifting/arranging a maiden, where trust and honor are central.