Shloka 5
The Glory of the Mother-and-Father Sacred Ford
Mātāpitṛ-tīrtha-māhātmya
पितरौ विकलौ दीनौ वृद्धावेतौ गुरू सुतः । महागदेन संप्राप्तौ परित्यजति पापधीः
pitarau vikalau dīnau vṛddhāvetau gurū sutaḥ | mahāgadena saṃprāptau parityajati pāpadhīḥ
Wenn seine Eltern schwach, elend und alt geworden sind und von schwerer Krankheit heimgesucht werden, verlässt sie der Sohn mit sündigem Sinn.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Abandoning aged, infirm parents—especially when struck by severe disease—is a mark of pāpa-buddhi and a direct violation of guru-like obligations to one’s elders.
Application: Do not outsource responsibility through indifference: ensure care plans, financial support, respectful companionship; cultivate gratitude as a spiritual discipline.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An aged couple, frail and bent with illness, sit at the threshold of a modest home, hands outstretched in silent plea. The son turns away with a hardened face, stepping into the bright street while the doorway behind him darkens—visually marking the eclipse of dharma.","primary_figures":["aged father","aged mother","callous son"],"setting":"village doorway and dusty lane; a neglected bedding mat, empty water pot, and scattered medicinal leaves hint at abandonment","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dust brown","ashen gray","faded saffron","dull maroon","cold blue shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral contrast tableau—aged parents in subdued tones at the doorstep, son turning away; ornate border but restrained gold used only to highlight the ‘lost’ sanctity of the home shrine, emphasizing adharma through compositional imbalance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poignant domestic realism—thin linework, expressive faces, muted palette; the son’s departing figure framed by a bright lane while parents remain in cool shadow, evoking karuṇa and ethical tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines; parents seated low, son angled away; symbolic dark band behind the son indicating pāpa-buddhi, with minimal ornamentation to keep the warning stark.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical panel—central doorway scene framed by withering lotus motifs and sparse tulasi border to suggest neglected devotion; deep blues and browns, intricate but somber floral work."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant crows","low drum (mridang)","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वृद्धावेतौ = वृद्धौ + एतौ; महागदेन = महा + गदेन (समास); पापधीः = पाप + धीः (समास).
FAQs
It condemns the cruelty of abandoning one’s aged and sick parents, presenting such neglect as a mark of sinful understanding (pāpa-dhī).
Yes. By portraying abandonment as wicked, it implicitly upholds caring for parents—especially in frailty and illness—as a core moral duty.
Only the parents (pitarau) and the son (sutaḥ) are mentioned; no specific deities or named sages appear in this śloka.