Shloka 119
The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity
Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients
अन्यायेषु रता यस्य जाया विप्रस्य कस्य च । तस्मै दानं न दातव्यं यदि ब्रह्मसमो भवेत्
anyāyeṣu ratā yasya jāyā viprasya kasya ca | tasmai dānaṃ na dātavyaṃ yadi brahmasamo bhavet
Man soll jenem Brahmanen—wer immer er sei—keine Gabe spenden, dessen Gattin dem Unrecht zugetan ist, selbst wenn er Brahmā gleich wäre.
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue).
Concept: Dāna is invalidated when the household is rooted in adharma; social-religious authority is not a substitute for ethical conduct.
Application: Do not let prestige, titles, or reputation override ethical evaluation; support households and leaders who uphold integrity and non-exploitative conduct.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense dharma-court moment: the sage’s raised hand halts a golden gift before it reaches a proud brāhmaṇa, while the king watches, startled. Behind the brāhmaṇa, a faint narrative shadow shows a household scene of moral disorder, contrasting with the luminous dharma-circle around the altar.","primary_figures":["Narrator/sage","Mahārāja (king)","Brāhmaṇa recipient (symbolic)","Brāhmaṇa’s wife (shadow vignette)"],"setting":"Royal sabhā with a dāna-altar; moral ‘shadow vignette’ behind the main figures","lighting_mood":"dramatic","color_palette":["molten gold","crimson","charcoal gray","ivory","deep green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dramatic dāna interruption—sage with commanding gesture stopping a gold vessel mid-offering; king on jeweled throne; recipient brāhmaṇa with ornate garments; behind him a subtle shadow-vignette of household adharma; heavy gold leaf on altar, halos, and ornaments; rich crimson and emerald textiles, temple-like pillars, symmetrical composition with moral contrast.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court interior with delicate expressions; the sage gently but firmly restrains the gift; the king’s face shows moral awakening; a faint monochrome vignette behind the recipient suggests domestic wrongdoing; cool palette with selective warm gold accents, lyrical restraint and fine detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense reds and yellows; central gesture of prohibition; the brāhmaṇa recipient framed by a darker background band indicating adharma; the altar glows in bright pigment; stylized eyes and ornaments, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central panel of dharma discernment framed by lotus and floral borders; the halted gift depicted as a golden arc; peripheral medallion shows a cautionary domestic scene in muted tones; deep indigo background with gold filigree, ornate textile patterns, devotional framing even in moral instruction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sharp bell strike","court hush","conch shell (brief)","low drum accent","silence after the injunction"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major external sandhi beyond standard euphony; brahma + samaḥ → brahmasamaḥ (समास/समाहार).
FAQs
It teaches that charity (dāna) should be given with discernment: moral conduct in a household matters, and social or spiritual status alone is not a sufficient qualification to receive gifts.
It is a rhetorical intensifier: even the highest conceivable honor or status does not override the disqualifying factor of association with persistent adharma in the immediate household.
No. It sets a restriction for dāna, emphasizing that the recipient’s ethical life (and here, the household’s conduct) is relevant when choosing a worthy recipient.