Shloka 2
Description of the Demons’ Austerities
Why the Gods Won
विस्तरेणापि नो ब्रूहि तेषां वृत्तमनुत्तमम् । श्रोतुमिच्छामहे सर्वे त्वत्तो वै सांप्रतं द्विज
vistareṇāpi no brūhi teṣāṃ vṛttamanuttamam | śrotumicchāmahe sarve tvatto vai sāṃprataṃ dvija
Xin hãy thuật cho chúng tôi, dù là thật tường tận, câu chuyện vô song của họ. Tất cả chúng tôi đều muốn được nghe ngay bây giờ, chính từ Ngài, hỡi bậc dvija.
Unspecified (a group of listeners addressing a dvija/sage in dialogue)
Concept: Śravaṇa with humility is itself a doorway to dharma; the Purāṇa is approached through respectful inquiry and patient listening.
Application: Cultivate daily ‘listening practice’: read or hear a small portion of Purāṇic/Itihāsa teaching with focused attention and respectful questions rather than debate.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of earnest listeners sits on kusa-grass mats in a forest hermitage, palms joined, leaning forward as they request the dvija to narrate an unsurpassed account in full detail. The sage, calm and luminous, prepares to speak, with palm-leaf manuscripts and a water-pot beside him, suggesting sacred transmission.","primary_figures":["dvija-sage narrator","group of listeners (ṛṣis/seekers)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama clearing with a small fire altar, kusa mats, palm-leaf bundles, and flowering trees","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","ochre","smoke gray","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene forest āśrama sabhā with a seated dvija-sage holding a palm-leaf manuscript, listeners with folded hands in semicircle, small yajña-kuṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu in foreground, ornate halos, gold leaf embellishment on borders and ornaments, rich reds and greens, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage gathering under flowering trees, delicate brushwork, refined faces, soft mountain-like horizon, cool greens and pale ochres, listeners leaning forward in reverent curiosity, subtle detailing of kusa mats and manuscripts, lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm yellow-red-green palette, large expressive eyes, dvija-sage centered with manuscript and kamaṇḍalu, devotees in orderly rows, temple-wall aesthetic even in forest setting, stylized foliage and decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional assembly framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, central sage on a raised seat, symmetrical arrangement of listeners, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacock-feather accents in border, ornate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["forest birds","gentle wind in leaves","soft crackle of sacrificial fire","distant flowing water","brief silence before narration"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विस्तरेणापि = विस्तरेण + अपि; श्रोतुमिच्छामहे = श्रोतुम् + इच्छामहे; त्वत्तो = त्वत्तः + (उकारादेशः) (before vowel); सांप्रतम् used adverbially.
FAQs
“Dvija” literally means “twice-born” and commonly addresses a Brahmin or learned sage; here it refers to the narrator/teacher from whom the listeners request the story.
They request a full, detailed narration (“vistareṇa”) of an excellent/unsurpassed account (“anuttamaṃ vṛttam”) and express collective eagerness to hear it immediately.
It models respectful inquiry and attentive listening—valuing truthful narration from a qualified teacher and showing humility and eagerness for sacred instruction.