Shloka 48
The Greatness of the Gaṇḍakī River and the Śālagrāma Stone
विचरत्यनिशं भीमे वने प्राणिवधंकरः । विषसंसक्तबाणाग्र रूढचापगुणोद्धुरः
vicaratyaniśaṃ bhīme vane prāṇivadhaṃkaraḥ | viṣasaṃsaktabāṇāgra rūḍhacāpaguṇoddhuraḥ
وہ ہولناک جنگل میں مسلسل بھٹکتا رہتا ہے، جانداروں کے قتل پر آمادہ؛ اس کے تیروں کی نوکیں زہر آلود ہیں اور کمان کی ڈوری سختی سے کھنچی ہوئی ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice; dialogue context not provided in the input)
Concept: Cruelty toward living beings (prāṇi-vadha) hardens the mind and becomes the seed of naraka-like consequences.
Application: Reduce harm in livelihood and habits; cultivate compassion (dayā), avoid intoxicants/poisons (literal or metaphorical), and redirect ‘taut bow’ energy into disciplined sādhana.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dread forest thick with twisted sal trees and thorny undergrowth; a hunter prowls ceaselessly, eyes narrowed, bow fully drawn. His arrowheads glisten with a greenish poison sheen, while frightened deer and birds scatter into shadowed thickets.","primary_figures":["the hunter (vyādha)","terrified forest creatures (deer, boar, birds)"],"setting":"dense, ominous forest path with broken branches, animal tracks, and a distant ravine","lighting_mood":"forest dappled turning to storm-dark","color_palette":["deep umber","moss green","poison jade","smoke gray","blood maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a fierce hunter in a stylized forest, bowstring taut, poison-tipped arrows highlighted with subtle green enamel effect; gold leaf used for weapon ornaments and border motifs, rich reds and greens, gem-studded armlets, traditional South Indian decorative framing with yali borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing a shadowy Himalayan-foothill forest, the hunter mid-stride with drawn bow, tiny animals fleeing; cool greens and grays, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism, mist curling between trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the hunter rendered with strong posture and exaggerated eyes, forest foliage in layered greens and ochres; natural pigments, temple-wall aesthetic, dramatic stance with the bowstring emphasized as a sweeping arc.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel of the forest with intricate floral borders; animals in patterned silhouettes fleeing the hunter; deep blues and greens with gold accents, lotus motifs in the border as moral contrast to violence, ornate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant animal cries","low drum pulse","wind through trees","tense silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विचरत्यनिशं = विचरति + अनिशम्; विषसंसक्तबाणाग्र = विष-संसक्त-बाण-अग्रः; रूढचापगुणोद्धुरः = रूढ-चाप-गुण-उद्धुरः.
FAQs
It depicts a relentless hunter (or violent figure) moving through a fearsome forest, prepared to kill animals with poisoned arrowheads and a fully drawn bow.
The verse highlights deliberate cruelty and premeditated violence—an image often used in Purāṇic narratives to contrast with dharma, compassion, and restraint.
A taut, firmly drawn bowstring signals readiness and intent: the figure is not accidental or defensive, but actively prepared for repeated killing.