Shloka 27
The Greatness of the Viṣṇu-pañcaka
Five-Day Kārttika Observance
दंडकर उवाच । क्षुधार्तोऽहं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्राणा यास्यंति मे ध्रुवम् । ददध्वं खादितुं किंचिद्युष्माकं शरणं गतः
daṃḍakara uvāca | kṣudhārto'haṃ dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ prāṇā yāsyaṃti me dhruvam | dadadhvaṃ khādituṃ kiṃcidyuṣmākaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ
قال دَنْدَكَرَ: «يا سادةَ المولودين مرتين، إن الجوع يعذبني، وإن أنفاسي ستفارقني لا محالة. فامنحوني شيئًا آكله؛ فقد جئتُ ملتجئًا إلى حمايتكم».
Daṇḍakara
Concept: Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) is powerful, yet must be guided by dharma and proper observance.
Application: When in crisis, ask for help honestly; when helping, balance compassion with wise guidance that uplifts long-term character.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Daṇḍakara, gaunt and dust-covered, stands with trembling hands folded, eyes wide with hunger and fear of death. Before him, composed Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas under the dhātrī tree listen intently, their calm faces reflecting both compassion and the gravity of sacred discipline.","primary_figures":["Daṇḍakara","Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas"],"setting":"Under the dhātrī tree: kuśa mats, a small water pot, perhaps a covered offering plate kept aside due to fasting rules; forest background quiet and watchful.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ashen brown","deep green","ivory white","saffron orange","lamp gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close foreground of Daṇḍakara pleading with folded hands, hollow cheeks and expressive eyes; sages with gold-leaf halos and crisp white ūrdhva-puṇḍra, richly patterned cloth, ornate lamp and kalasha near the tree roots, heavy gold embellishment emphasizing sacred authority.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate moral drama—Daṇḍakara’s fragile posture contrasted with the serene symmetry of the sages; soft shading, cool greens, delicate linework, a lyrical forest backdrop with minimal props to heighten emotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized hunger-stricken figure with emphatic gestures, sages in composed frontal poses, bold outlines, warm pigment blocks, decorative foliage patterns framing the ethical confrontation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional tableau with ornate borders; the dhātrī tree stylized like a sacred motif, sages arranged rhythmically, Daṇḍakara at the lower center in supplication; deep blue and gold accents to suggest Hari’s unseen presence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant birds","single bell strike","brief hush after the plea"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kṣudhārto'haṃ = kṣudhārtaḥ + aham; kiṃcidyuṣmākam = kiṃcit + yuṣmākam.
FAQs
The speaker is Daṇḍakara, who pleads with the “best of the twice-born” (brāhmaṇas) to give him something to eat because he is starving and fears death.
The verse foregrounds compassion and the duty of hospitality/charity—responding to a hungry person who has approached as a śaraṇāgata (one seeking refuge).
A direct moral appeal is made: urgent human need (hunger) should be met with timely generosity, especially when someone comes in trust and dependence seeking protection.