Shloka 94
Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
वैशाखे पुष्पलवणं वर्जयेदथ गोप्रदः । भूत्वा विष्णुपदे कल्पं स्थित्वा राजा भवेदिह
vaiśākhe puṣpalavaṇaṃ varjayedatha gopradaḥ | bhūtvā viṣṇupade kalpaṃ sthitvā rājā bhavediha
في شهر فايشاكها (Vaiśākha)، ليتجنب المرء «ملح الزهور»؛ فإذا صار واهبًا للبقر أقام في مقام فيشنو (Viṣṇu) مدة كَلْبَة، ثم يصير ملكًا هنا على الأرض.
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (context likely a narrator/teacher voice within the Adhyaya).
Concept: Seasonal restraint (avoiding a specific indulgence in Vaiśākha) ripens into generosity (go-dāna disposition) and culminates in prolonged proximity to Viṣṇu (Viṣṇu-pada).
Application: Use a sacred month to renounce one habitual indulgence and redirect the saved resources toward charity; keep the vow simple, consistent, and oriented to remembrance of the divine.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In the bright month of Vaiśākha, a devotee refuses a customary delicacy (symbolized by a small dish labeled ‘lavana’ set aside) and instead prepares a cow-gift with garlands and a water-pot for the recipient brāhmaṇa. Above, Viṣṇu-pada opens like a radiant lotus-gateway: Viṣṇu in sapphire hue stands with conch and discus, surrounded by a calm golden aura, suggesting a kalpa-long residence in divine proximity.","primary_figures":["vrata-observer","Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa)","brāhmaṇa recipient","decorated cow"],"setting":"Sunlit courtyard with tulasi planter, offering trays, garlands, and a distant temple spire; the celestial Viṣṇu-pada appears as a lotus-arch in the sky.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","lotus pink","fresh spring green","sunlit white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu-pada vision dominating the upper half—Nārāyaṇa with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, thick gold leaf halo and ornate arch; lower half shows the devotee in Vaiśākha setting aside salt/flower-salt and arranging go-dāna; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, intricate temple pillars and gold embellishment throughout.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: bright spring courtyard with delicate foliage; the devotee gently pushing aside a small salt dish and offering garlands to a decorated cow; above, a soft cloud-lotus reveals Viṣṇu in serene stance; cool yet luminous palette, refined faces, lyrical naturalism and fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Viṣṇu with bold outlines and large eyes within a lotus-arch; below, simplified go-dāna scene with strong reds/yellows/greens; flat decorative rhythm, temple-wall aesthetic, natural pigments and symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Viṣṇu-lotus medallion with conch and discus motifs; border of spring flowers and cows; lower register narrates the Vaiśākha niyama (salt dish set aside) and go-dāna; deep blue ground, gold highlights, intricate floral borders and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","cow bells","spring birds","hand cymbals (soft)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वर्जयेत्+अथ → वर्जयेदथ; वसेत्/भवेत्+इह → भवेदिह
FAQs
It prescribes a restraint: avoiding “puṣpa-lavaṇa” (flower-salt) during Vaiśākha, framed as a meritorious observance.
The verse says the practitioner, becoming a giver of cows (go-dāna), dwells in Viṣṇu’s abode for a kalpa and later attains kingship on earth.
It links self-restraint (vrata-like discipline) with generosity (especially go-dāna), presenting both as actions that yield spiritual and worldly fruits.