Shloka 3
न राज्ञः प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न शूद्रात्पतितादपि । न चान्यस्मादशक्तश्चेन्निंदितान्वर्जयेद्बुधः
na rājñaḥ pratigṛhṇīyānna śūdrātpatitādapi | na cānyasmādaśaktaścenniṃditānvarjayedbudhaḥ
لا ينبغي للحكيم أن يقبل عطايا الملك، ولا عطايا الشودرَة، ولا حتى عطايا الساقط في الإثم. وإذا لم يكن في ضيقٍ واضطرار، فليجتنب أيضًا قبول ما يأتي من أهل الملامة والذمّ.
Unspecified (narratorial/didactic instruction within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Pratigraha-niyama: avoid accepting gifts from morally compromising sources; unless in distress, a wise person should refuse blameworthy donations to preserve inner purity.
Application: Practice ethical boundaries in funding and favors: decline benefits tied to exploitation, corruption, or coercion; if dependent, seek transparent, dharmic support and keep accounts clean.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative sage stands at a threshold as emissaries offer lavish gifts—coins, cloth, and vessels—while shadowy hints of their sources (a harsh king’s court, a fallen man’s vice) appear behind them. The sage gently raises a palm in refusal, choosing a simple begging bowl and a clear conscience over glittering wealth.","primary_figures":["a wise ascetic/brāhmaṇa figure","royal emissary","a morally fallen donor figure (symbolic)"],"setting":"Hermitage gateway with a distant palace silhouette on one side and a dim alley of vice on the other; the hermitage remains bright and uncluttered.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a moral chiaroscuro","color_palette":["leaf green","sunlit gold","clay brown","indigo shadow","linen white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sage refusing gifts at an ornate doorway; emissaries with trays of coins and silk, palace backdrop; gold leaf used for coins and halos, rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing, strong iconographic clarity of renunciation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined moral scene with delicate gestures—sage’s raised hand, emissary’s bowed posture; soft forest palette, distant palace in cool haze, subtle narrative symbolism, elegant textiles and calm expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—sage in white/ochre, emissaries in royal colors; symbolic split background (palace vs. dark vice lane); flat pigments with rhythmic borders, large expressive eyes emphasizing discernment.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional-ethical banner—central renunciant with lotus border, trays of gifts stylized as motifs; deep blue and gold accents, floral filigree, peacocks near the hermitage symbolizing purity and vigilance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft footsteps on leaves","distant court drums (faint)","temple bell in hermitage","wind through trees"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न = प्रतिगृह्णीयात् + न; शूद्रात्पतितादपि = शूद्रात् + पतितात् + अपि; चान्यस्मादशक्तश्चेत् = च + अन्यस्मात् + अशक्तः + चेत्; चेन्निंदितान्वर्जयेद्बुधः = चेत् + निन्दितान् + वर्जयेत् + बुधः.
FAQs
It advises restraint in accepting gifts (pratigraha), warning that gifts from certain sources can be spiritually compromising; a wise person avoids blameworthy donations unless compelled by genuine distress.
In dharma literature, royal gifts can carry obligations, political entanglement, or moral risk tied to the king’s conduct; the verse cautions against such compromising dependence.
It implies necessity: if one is helpless or in serious need, the strict avoidance may be relaxed; otherwise, one should refrain from accepting censured gifts.