Shloka 18
Exposition of the Duties of Ascetics
Saṃnyāsa-Dharma
न तस्य निष्कृतिः काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः
na tasya niṣkṛtiḥ kāciddharmaśāstreṣu dṛśyate | rāgadveṣaviyuktātmā samaloṣṭāśmakāṃcanaḥ
لا تُرى له كفّارةٌ في كتب الدارماشاسترا. ونفسه منزوعةٌ من التعلّق والنفور؛ فالتراب والحجر والذهب عنده سواء.
Unspecified (narrative speaker not identifiable from this single verse without surrounding context)
Concept: Certain violations of renunciant discipline are treated as spiritually catastrophic; true purity is rāga-dveṣa-śūnyatā and equal vision toward clay, stone, and gold.
Application: Audit subtle greed: treat money/status as ‘stone’; practice giving away surplus; notice likes/dislikes and return to mantra or nāma-smaraṇa.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yati stands at a crossroads: on one side, glittering gold coins and a patron’s mansion; on the other, a simple path leading to a quiet Viṣṇu shrine. Above him, a Dharmaśāstra manuscript appears like a stern cloud, while his calm face reflects the ideal of seeing clay, stone, and gold as equal.","primary_figures":["Vaishnava yati","personified Dharma (symbolic)","Vishnu (as distant shrine murti/aura)"],"setting":"Crossroads outside a village, with a small temple path and a worldly estate contrasted.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ashen gray","burnished gold","saffron robe-orange","deep temple-blue","white manuscript-ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral crossroads—yati centered, gold coins and jeweled objects on one side, humble clay and stone on the other, distant Vishnu sanctum with radiant halo; heavy gold leaf for temptation objects and Vishnu halo, rich reds/greens, ornate borders, didactic symbolism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined ascetic at a forked path, delicate rendering of clay, stone, and gold as equal still-life elements; cool landscape, subtle facial serenity, gentle clouds forming a manuscript-like shape, lyrical moral contrast.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, symbolic objects (loṣṭa, aśma, kāñcana) arranged in triad; yati with composed eyes, Vishnu shrine icon at edge; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central yati framed by lotus borders; triad of clay-stone-gold repeated as motifs; deep blue ground with gold highlights; small Vishnu shrine and peacocks, emphasizing renunciation as devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple drum (soft)","wind hush","single bell strike","distant chanting","silence after key line"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु = काचित् धर्म-शास्त्रेषु; रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा = राग-द्वेष-वियुक्त-आत्मा (बहुव्रीहि); समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः = सम-लोष्ट-अश्म-काञ्चनः (बहुव्रीहि).
FAQs
It states that for such a person, the Dharmaśāstras do not prescribe (or do not reveal) a conventional act of atonement—implying a condition that lies beyond ordinary juridical remedies, or a spiritual state not governed by routine expiatory rules.
It describes the ideal inner state as freedom from both attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa), pointing to equanimity as a mark of spiritual steadiness.
It teaches non-attachment and impartiality toward material value—treating worthless and precious objects alike—indicating freedom from greed, fear, and preference.