Shloka 111
The Account and Merit of Śivadūtī
with the Nāga-tīrtha at Puṣkara
भुक्त्वा तिष्ठंतु सुप्रीता अपि वर्षशतान्बहून् । अन्याः सूतिगृहे च्छिद्रं गृह्णीयुस्तु ह्यपूजिताः
bhuktvā tiṣṭhaṃtu suprītā api varṣaśatānbahūn | anyāḥ sūtigṛhe cchidraṃ gṛhṇīyustu hyapūjitāḥ
既已受食，愿她们欢喜安住，纵历数百年亦然；但其余者因未受敬奉，便在产室（sūtigṛha）中攫取缺隙，成为可乘之漏洞。
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator/dialogue in Adhyaya 31)
Concept: Honoring and satisfying certain forces/attendants through proper feeding/offerings yields long-term protection; neglect (apūjā) creates 'chidrā'—a vulnerability—especially in liminal spaces like the lying-in chamber.
Application: In times of vulnerability (illness, childbirth, transitions), do not neglect basic care, cleanliness, and respectful ritual attention; small omissions can become large vulnerabilities.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A postpartum chamber rendered as a sacred threshold: women attendants place a simple meal offering near the doorway while protective marks are drawn on the floor. In the shadows, unseen presences hover at the edges—kept at bay when honored, but ready to slip through any crack if neglected.","primary_figures":["Women attendants (sūtikā-paricārikā)","Symbolic unseen spirits (jātahārikā as shadow forms)","Householder/priest (optional)"],"setting":"Sūtigṛha interior with low bed, threshold line, rice/food offering, water pot, protective markings on walls and floor","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm amber","soot black","rice white","turmeric yellow","brick red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: postpartum chamber as a sanctified interior—attendants offering food at the threshold, gold leaf highlighting the lamp and protective symbols, rich reds/greens, ornate border, subtle shadow-figures at the periphery indicating spirits restrained by ritual honor.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate indoor scene with delicate detailing of textiles and floor markings, soft lamplight, attendants placing offerings, faint shadowy forms outside the threshold, restrained palette with lyrical realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, iconic depiction of the chamber, strong emphasis on threshold and lamp, shadow-spirits stylized as dark forms, red-yellow-green pigments with black background accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic threshold-protection scene framed by floral borders; deep blue background with gold highlights, lamp and offering central, lotus motifs as auspicious counterbalance, stylized attendants and decorative patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft bell","whispered women’s murmurs","lamp crackle","night insects outside"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तिष्ठंतु = तिष्ठन्तु; वर्षशतान्बहून् = वर्षशतान् + बहून्; च्छिद्रं = छिद्रम् (visarga-less sandhi/orthography); गृह्णीयुस्तु = गृह्णीयुः + तु; ह्यपूजिताः = हि + अपूजिताः.
FAQs
Sūtigṛha refers to the lying-in or maternity chamber—an indoor space associated with childbirth and postnatal seclusion, treated as ritually sensitive in many Dharma-oriented passages.
Apūjitāḥ indicates beings or forces that have not been ritually respected or propitiated; the verse contrasts the ‘well-pleased’ with those who, lacking honour, become associated with a ‘cchidra’—a point of vulnerability or defect.
It underscores a common Purāṇic/Dharmaśāstric theme: proper hospitality, offerings, and ritual attention maintain harmony, while neglect can create ‘openings’—practical or spiritual vulnerabilities—especially in sensitive domestic contexts.