Shloka 152
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
नाशे दुःखं व्यये दुःखमर्थस्यैव कुतः सुखम् । चौरेभ्यः सलिलेभ्योग्नेः स्वजनात्पार्थिवादपि
nāśe duḥkhaṃ vyaye duḥkhamarthasyaiva kutaḥ sukham | caurebhyaḥ salilebhyogneḥ svajanātpārthivādapi
Kummer ist da, wenn Reichtum verloren geht, und Kummer auch, wenn er ausgegeben wird—wo also ist überhaupt Glück im Reichtum? Er ist bedroht durch Diebe, durch Wasser, durch Feuer, sogar durch die Eigenen und sogar durch den König.
Unspecified (gnomic instruction within the narrative frame of Padma Purāṇa, Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Artha (wealth) is intrinsically anxiety-producing—lost in loss, painful in spending, and perpetually threatened—so true sukha lies beyond possession.
Application: Treat wealth as stewardship: earn righteously, spend for dharma (support of dependents, charity, worship), and keep inner non-attachment; reduce fear by simplifying and by dedicating resources to service.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder sits amid overflowing coins and ledgers, yet shadows of thieves, floodwaters, and flames creep in from the edges. Behind him, a serene Vaiṣṇava mendicant with a tulasī-mālā stands calm, gazing toward a distant Viṣṇu temple whose lamp-light promises steadiness beyond worldly peril.","primary_figures":["an anxious wealthy householder","a serene vairāgī (Vaiṣṇava ascetic)","symbolic figures of thief, fire, flood","Viṣṇu (as distant temple icon)"],"setting":"A town courtyard with a treasury room opening to a street; in the far background, a small Viṣṇu shrine with dhvaja and lamp.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky umber","lamp-gold","indigo shadow","lotus pink","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central seated householder surrounded by gold coins and account scrolls, his face tense; at the right, a calm Vaiṣṇava ascetic with tulasī-mālā and ūrdhva-puṇḍra; in the background a small Viṣṇu sanctum with a radiant arch, heavy gold leaf halos, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, stylized flames and water motifs encroaching from the borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a domestic courtyard scene with delicate linework—merchant counting coins while glancing fearfully at shadowy thieves; a saffron-clad Vaiṣṇava renunciant stands composed, pointing toward a distant hilltop temple; cool twilight tones, lyrical trees, fine facial expressions, subtle river-flood and fire hints in the margins.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments—wealthy man with exaggerated worried eyes, flanked by symbolic fire and water demons; serene ascetic with ūrdhva-puṇḍra and tulasī garland; a glowing Viṣṇu icon in a lamp-lit shrine; dominant reds, yellows, greens with rhythmic ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional allegory—at the bottom, worldly wealth threatened by stylized flames, waves, and thieves; above, a lotus-filled panel with a small Śrī Viṣṇu/Śrīnāthjī shrine and tulasī plant; intricate floral borders, peacocks and cows near the temple, deep blues and gold accents emphasizing true refuge."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low drone (tanpura)","distant conch shell","brief silence between pādas"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुःखमर्थस्यैव→दुःखम् अर्थस्य एव; सलिलेभ्योग्नेः→सलिलेभ्यः अग्नेः; स्वजनात्पार्थिवादपि→स्वजनात् पार्थिवात् अपि
FAQs
It teaches vairāgya (dispassion): wealth cannot be a stable source of happiness because both losing it and spending it cause anxiety, and it is vulnerable to many forms of harm.
These are traditional categories of risks to property—external (theft, disasters) and internal/social (family disputes, state seizure/taxation)—showing that wealth is inherently insecure.
Use wealth responsibly without attachment: treat it as a tool for dharma (duty, generosity, right living) rather than as the basis of lasting happiness.