Shloka 108
The Account and Merit of Śivadūtī
with the Nāga-tīrtha at Puṣkara
एतासां शृणु मे देवि भक्ष्यमेकं मयोचितम् । कथ्यमानं वरारोहे कालरात्रि महाप्रभे
etāsāṃ śṛṇu me devi bhakṣyamekaṃ mayocitam | kathyamānaṃ varārohe kālarātri mahāprabhe
اے دیوی! ان میں سے ایک نذرانۂ خوراک جو مجھے مناسب معلوم ہوتا ہے، وہ سنو۔ اے خوش اندام! اے کالراتری، اے عظیم جلال والی خاتون! میں جو بیان کروں اسے غور سے سنو۔
Unspecified male narrator addressing Devī (context suggests Śiva/Maheśvara speaking to Pārvatī/Devī, but not explicitly stated in the provided verse alone)
Concept: Ritual propriety (aucitya) in offerings and conduct is taught through a guru-like transmission to Devī, implying that even small details of food/offerings matter in maintaining auspiciousness and protection.
Application: Before any vow, festival, or household rite, choose offerings thoughtfully, keep them clean, and follow a consistent, respectful procedure rather than improvising carelessly.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn teaching moment: Mahādeva, serene and ash-smeared, sits beside Devī in a quiet shrine-like chamber, explaining a single, carefully prepared food-offering placed on a leaf-plate. Devī listens attentively, her gaze steady, as a small lamp flame trembles—suggesting the gravity of ritual detail and protective dharma.","primary_figures":["Mahādeva (Śiva)","Devī (Pārvatī/Kālarātri aspect suggested by address)"],"setting":"Inner sanctum-like domestic shrine with a low altar, leaf-plate offering, water pot, and protective yantra-like motifs on the wall","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp-flame gold","ash white","deep vermilion","midnight indigo","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Mahādeva instructing Devī on an auspicious food-offering, both seated on a jeweled pedestal, gold leaf halo around their heads, rich red and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, a small brass lamp and leaf-plate offering in the foreground, ornate arch (prabhāvali) framing the scene, traditional South Indian iconography with intricate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate Śiva–Pārvatī teaching scene in a quiet pavilion, delicate brushwork, cool indigo shadows, soft facial expressions, a small offering plate and lamp between them, lyrical naturalism with a hint of Himalayan garden outside, refined lines and gentle color gradations.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigment palette, Śiva and Devī seated in profile with large expressive eyes, a glowing oil lamp and offering plate emphasized, red-yellow-green dominance with indigo background, temple-wall aesthetic and symmetrical decorative motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional instructional tableau adapted into a Vaishnava-friendly shrine setting—ornate lotus borders, deep blue background with gold highlights, a central offering plate and lamp, floral festoons and patterned textiles; include subtle lotus motifs and a sanctified atmosphere reminiscent of Nathdwara ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","oil-lamp crackle","low drone (tanpura)","gentle silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भक्ष्यमेकं → भक्ष्यम् एकम्; मयोचितम् → मया उचितम्; (उचितम् is from √वच् with उपसर्ग उ- per traditional derivation; treated as PPP meaning 'proper')
FAQs
Kālarātri is an epithet of Devī, indicating a fierce, time-associated form (the “night” of time), invoked here as a majestic and powerful Goddess.
The speaker introduces that he will describe one particular “bhakṣya” (edible offering/food) deemed appropriate among several items previously mentioned.
It models reverent instruction: the speaker respectfully asks the Goddess to listen, framing the teaching as a careful, appropriate prescription rather than a casual preference.