Shloka 31
The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity
Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients
कर्मणा स्वेन विप्रेंद्र पुण्येन नृपनंदन । आत्मार्थे त्वं महाभाग वरमेव प्रयाचय
karmaṇā svena vipreṃdra puṇyena nṛpanaṃdana | ātmārthe tvaṃ mahābhāga varameva prayācaya
O bester der Brāhmanen, o Königssohn—durch deine eigenen verdienstvollen Taten, o Begnadeter, erbitte eine Gabe allein zu deinem geistlichen Heil.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/sage addressing a prince and a leading brāhmaṇa)
Concept: Merit should be leveraged for the highest personal spiritual good; ask boons aimed at the self’s liberation rather than external gain.
Application: When opportunities arise (power, wealth, influence), consciously choose requests/goals that deepen character, devotion, and long-term welfare.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage addresses a young prince and a venerable brāhmaṇa, pointing toward a small inner shrine where a lamp burns steadily—symbolizing ātma-artha. The prince’s posture shifts from ambition to contemplation, as if choosing a boon that serves liberation rather than display.","primary_figures":["a sage/narrator","a prince (nṛpa-nandana)","a leading brāhmaṇa (viprendra)"],"setting":"forest hermitage near a modest shrine; deer and peacocks at the edge; a palm-leaf manuscript and water pot beside the teacher","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","leaf green","ochre","lamp gold","sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sage teaching a prince and brāhmaṇa before a small Viṣṇu shrine; gold leaf highlights on the lamp flame and deity halo, rich textile reds and greens, ornate jewelry on the prince subdued by humble posture, embossed borders with lotus motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet hermitage instruction scene with delicate foliage, a small shrine and lamp; the prince listens thoughtfully, the brāhmaṇa attentive; cool natural palette, refined faces, lyrical animals in the background, gentle moral atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal teaching triad—sage, prince, brāhmaṇa—beside a stylized shrine; bold outlines, natural pigments, red/yellow/green palette, rhythmic border patterns, expressive eyes conveying restraint and resolve.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: didactic scene framed by floral borders; central lamp and small Viṣṇu icon as the axis; prince and brāhmaṇa symmetrically placed listening to the sage; lotus vines, peacocks on the border, deep blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["forest birds","soft hand cymbals","crackling lamp wick","brief silence after ‘ātma-arthe’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: आत्मार्थे = आत्म + अर्थे (समास/तत्पुरुष); वरमेव = वरम् + एव
FAQs
It advises the listener to request a boon that serves one’s own highest good (ātmārtha), grounded in one’s accumulated merit (puṇya) from personal deeds (sva-karma).
Ātmārthe means “for the sake of the Self,” i.e., for one’s true welfare—often implying spiritual benefit rather than merely worldly gain.
It stresses personal responsibility: one’s own actions generate merit, and that merit should be used wisely—seeking boons that support inner, lasting well-being.