Shloka 34
The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship
दानं दद्याद्यथाशक्त्या प्रीयेतां हरिशंकरौ । शुक्लतीर्थप्रभावेण सर्वं भवति चाक्षयम्
dānaṃ dadyādyathāśaktyā prīyetāṃ hariśaṃkarau | śuklatīrthaprabhāveṇa sarvaṃ bhavati cākṣayam
وليُعطِ الصدقةَ بحسب الطاقة، ليرضى هاري وشنكرا. وبقوة شوكلا تيرثا يصير كل ما يُقدَّم أو يُعمل هناك غيرَ نافد.
Unknown (narrative voice not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Charity offered according to capacity at a potent tīrtha becomes inexhaustible; pleasing Hari and Śaṅkara harmonizes sectarian devotion through dharmic giving.
Application: Give regularly within your means; choose sacred contexts (temple, pilgrimage, service to sādhus) and dedicate the act to God—consistency over display.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At Śukla Tīrtha’s bright, sand-banked ford, pilgrims line the steps with water pots and offerings. A donor places gifts into a brāhmaṇa’s hands before a small shrine where Hari and Śaṅkara are symbolically present—one as a blue, four-armed icon, the other as a serene liṅga—while the air shimmers as if the very place turns deeds into ‘akṣaya’.","primary_figures":["a donor","brāhmaṇa recipient","Hari (Vishnu) icon","Śaṅkara (Shiva) icon"],"setting":"River/ford ghat at Śukla Tīrtha with a twin-shrine niche, offering platforms, and pilgrims performing dāna","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["chalk white","lapis blue","vermillion","antique gold","river green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śukla Tīrtha ghat with Vishnu and Shiva icons side-by-side; donor offering dāna to a brāhmaṇa; heavy gold leaf on crowns, halos, and shrine arches; rich reds/greens, jewel-like detailing, embossed textures emphasizing ‘akṣaya’ radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant riverside scene with pale sands and clear water; subtle depiction of Vishnu and Shiva shrines; delicate gestures of giving, refined faces, soft atmospheric light, cool palette with restrained gold accents and lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghat and shrine panels; Vishnu and Shiva rendered with bold outlines and iconic eyes; donor and brāhmaṇa in profile; warm earthy pigments, rhythmic patterns, temple-wall composition with symbolic radiance around the tīrtha.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotuses and sacred symbols; central ghat with symmetrical lamps and kalashas; Vishnu-centered emphasis with Shiva respectfully included; deep blues and gold, intricate floral filigree suggesting inexhaustible abundance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","coin/bracelet clinks","conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दद्याद्यथाशक्त्या = दद्यात् + यथाशक्त्या; चाक्षयम् = च + अक्षयम्
FAQs
It advises giving charity (dāna) according to one’s means, emphasizing sincere offering rather than quantity.
The verse presents a harmonizing devotional frame where pleasing both Viṣṇu (Hari) and Śiva (Śaṅkara) is upheld as a worthy aim, especially through ethical acts like charity.
It teaches proportionate giving—charity should be responsible and heartfelt, aligned with one’s actual ability, avoiding both miserliness and self-harm.