Shloka 15
The Origin of the Lauhitya River
and the King of Tīrthas
कथयित्वा तु तद्वृत्तमभीष्टं देशमागता । एवं कामस्य महिमा दुर्निवारो जनेषु च
kathayitvā tu tadvṛttamabhīṣṭaṃ deśamāgatā | evaṃ kāmasya mahimā durnivāro janeṣu ca
وہ سارا واقعہ بیان کرکے اپنی پسندیدہ جگہ لوٹ آئی۔ یوں کام (خواہش) کی عظمت ہے کہ لوگوں میں اسے روکنا دشوار ہے۔
Narrator (contextual; specific speaker not identifiable from this single verse alone)
Concept: Kāma is powerful and difficult to restrain; awareness of its force is the first step toward discipline and purification.
Application: Notice desire’s momentum; pause before acting, substitute a sattvic practice (japa, tulasi-sevā, tīrtha-smaraṇa) when the mind runs outward.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A woman, having finished recounting a fateful episode, turns back toward the place her heart longs for; behind her, the air seems to ripple with the invisible pull of desire. In the foreground, a sage-like narrator gestures as if warning that Kāma’s current is hard to dam in ordinary lives.","primary_figures":["a noble lady returning (anonymous)","a narrator-sage figure symbolizing dharma","personified Kāma as a subtle presence (optional)"],"setting":"Forest path leading toward a distant hermitage or city gate; symbolic lotus petals scattered on the ground to hint at Padma Purāṇa’s cosmology.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","dusky rose","smoke gray","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central returning lady in silk with stylized jewelry, a seated sage at one side raising a teaching hand-mudrā, faint ethereal Kāma with sugarcane bow in the background; gold leaf halos, rich maroon and emerald borders, temple-arch framing, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: slender figures on a winding forest path, delicate brushwork and lyrical trees, soft pink sky, distant pavilion indicating the desired place; refined faces, cool greens and muted reds, gentle moralizing gesture by a sage narrator.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the lady in warm red-yellow garments, sage in ochre, stylized foliage, large expressive eyes; temple-wall aesthetic with flat yet vibrant color fields and a subtle symbolic Kāma motif behind.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional border of lotus and creepers; central vignette of the returning lady and a sage, with peacocks and floral motifs; deep indigo background with gold detailing, ornate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","evening wind through leaves","distant conch shell","brief silence between pādas"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्वृत्तम् = तत् + वृत्तम्; वृत्तमभीष्टम् = वृत्तम् + अभीष्टम्; देशमागता = देशम् + आगताः.
FAQs
It presents desire as a powerful, often irresistible force in human life—difficult to restrain once it takes hold.
No. It only says she returned to her “desired place” (abhīṣṭa-deśa) without naming a location.
The verse implies the need for vigilance and discipline, since desire can override restraint and strongly shape actions and choices.