Shloka 25
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
वीरविक्रम उवाच । तुभ्यं श्वः कन्यकां ब्रह्मन्दास्यामि नास्ति चान्यथा । दक्षिणं च करं दत्वा न कुर्यात्पुरुषाधमः
vīravikrama uvāca | tubhyaṃ śvaḥ kanyakāṃ brahmandāsyāmi nāsti cānyathā | dakṣiṇaṃ ca karaṃ datvā na kuryātpuruṣādhamaḥ
Vīravikrama nói: “Hỡi Brahmin, ngày mai ta sẽ trao thiếu nữ cho ngài—không còn cách nào khác. Đã đưa tay phải làm lời thề, kẻ không giữ lời chỉ là hạng người hèn mạt nhất.”
Vīravikrama
Concept: Satya and pratijñā-pālana (keeping one’s pledged word) is a mark of nobility; breaking it is adharma.
Application: Make promises sparingly; once given, fulfill them even when inconvenient; treat commitments as sacred offerings.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A heroic householder-king, Vīravikrama, stands before a calm brāhmaṇa, extending his right hand in solemn pledge. The air is charged with the gravity of dharma—witnessed by silent elders and a small sacrificial fire—signaling that a promise has become a sacred bond.","primary_figures":["Vīravikrama","a brāhmaṇa recipient (future groom/mediator)","attendant elders","family priest (purohita)"],"setting":"royal courtyard with a small agni-kuṇḍa, ritual vessels, and a threshold decorated with lotus and mango-leaf toranas","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["saffron gold","deep maroon","ivory white","emerald green","smoky ash-gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vīravikrama in regal attire extends his right hand in pledge to a serene brāhmaṇa beside a small agni-kuṇḍa; gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars, lotus borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, high-relief jewelry detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined court scene with delicate brushwork—Vīravikrama offering his right hand in solemn vow to a brāhmaṇa; cool yet warm-balanced palette, lyrical architecture, soft facial expressions, fine textiles, a small fire altar, and distant garden trees rendered with Himalayan naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments—heroic Vīravikrama making a dharma-pledge gesture, brāhmaṇa with palm-leaf manuscript and kamaṇḍalu; temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, red/yellow/green dominance, stylized flames of the agni-kuṇḍa.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a vow-taking scene framed by lotus creepers and floral borders; central figures in devotional courtly composition, deep blues and gold accents, peacocks at the margins, ornate textile patterns, sacred atmosphere akin to a vrata-kathā tableau."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","crackling fire","hushed assembly silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मन्दास्यामि = ब्रह्मन् + दास्यामि; नास्ति = न + अस्ति; चान्यथा = च + अन्यथा; कुर्यात्पुरुषाधमः = कुर्यात् + पुरुषाधमः
FAQs
It stresses satya-vacana (truthfulness) and keeping one’s pledged word—breaking a promise after giving one’s hand in assurance is condemned as ignoble.
It signifies a formal pledge or assurance—an honor-bound commitment, often used in agreements and marriage-related promises.
It presents dharma as reliability and integrity in commitments, especially in acts involving gifting/arranging a maiden, where trust and honor are central.