Shloka 32
The Origin of the Daṇḍaka Forest and Rāma’s Dharma-Judgment
Vulture vs. Owl
एवंविधं वचो वक्तुं न त्वमर्हसि पार्थिव । अन्येभ्योपि सुदुष्टेभ्यो रक्ष्या चाहं सदा त्वया
evaṃvidhaṃ vaco vaktuṃ na tvamarhasi pārthiva | anyebhyopi suduṣṭebhyo rakṣyā cāhaṃ sadā tvayā
اے پارثِو بادشاہ! تمہیں ایسے کلمات کہنا زیب نہیں دیتا۔ دوسرے نہایت بدکردار لوگوں سے بھی میری حفاظت ہمیشہ تمہیں ہی کرنی چاہیے۔
Unspecified (a female speaker addressing a king; context needed to identify the exact interlocutors in Adhyaya 37)
Concept: Rāja-dharma includes protecting the vulnerable and restraining harmful speech; power is measured by guardianship, not domination.
Application: Use authority to safeguard others; avoid harsh speech; treat protection as a duty even when others are hostile.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a pillared royal hall, a noble woman stands with composed sorrow, raising a gentle hand to restrain the king’s harsh words. Courtiers fade into shadow as the moral tension centers on her plea for protection, her gaze steady and dignified.","primary_figures":["a noble woman (speaker)","a king (pārthiva)","silent courtiers/guards"],"setting":"royal sabhā with carved pillars, low throne, textile canopies, guarded entrances","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","antique gold","ivory white","indigo","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian royal court scene where a dignified woman admonishes a king to uphold protection; gold leaf halos subtly behind the righteous figures, rich red and green textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars and archways, high-contrast devotional solemnity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate palace interior with delicate linework; the woman’s calm, pleading gesture toward the king; cool muted palette with lyrical drapery folds, refined faces, minimal but expressive courtiers, patterned carpets and bolsters.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the woman in graceful stance instructing the king; stylized eyes, rhythmic ornamentation, warm red-yellow-green dominance, architectural borders like temple murals.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic court transformed into a lotus-bordered moral tableau; intricate floral borders, lamp motifs, peacocks at the margins; deep blues and gold accents, emphasizing protection and dharma as sacred order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft ankle-bells","low temple bell","hushed court ambience","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्वम्+अर्हसि→त्वमर्हसि; अन्येभ्यः+अपि→अन्येभ्योपि; रक्ष्या+च+अहम्→रक्ष्या चाहम् (चाहम्); अन्येभ्यः सुदुष्टेभ्यः—पञ्चमी-सम्बन्धः (from very wicked others).
FAQs
It teaches restraint in speech and underscores a ruler’s duty (rājadharma) to protect those under his care, even against hostile outsiders.
Purāṇas repeatedly frame kingship as guardianship: the king must ensure safety and dignity for dependents and avoid harsh or improper speech that violates dharma.
The verse itself only indicates that the speaker addresses a king (pārthiva). Identifying the exact speaker requires the surrounding verses of Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 37.