Shloka 5
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
साधूनामपि सर्वेषां यः पीडां हि समाचरेत् । महापातकमेवापि प्रायश्चित्ते न हि व्रजेत्
sādhūnāmapi sarveṣāṃ yaḥ pīḍāṃ hi samācaret | mahāpātakamevāpi prāyaścitte na hi vrajet
Wer irgendeinem der Rechtschaffenen—allen Sādhus—Schaden zufügt, lädt eine große Sünde auf sich; und selbst durch Sühnehandlungen erlangt er keine wahre Läuterung.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses to identify the dialogue pair).
Concept: Harming sādhus is mahāpātaka; mere prāyaścitta is portrayed as insufficient without deep transformation and cessation of hostility.
Application: Practice non-harm and reverence toward sincere practitioners; if conflict arises, choose apology, restitution, and service rather than self-justifying ‘ritual fixes’.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compassionate yet severe scene: a radiant sādhu sits in meditation beneath a tree, while a would-be aggressor recoils as if struck by the invisible weight of his own karma. The space around the sādhu glows like a protective aura, suggesting that violence against the righteous rebounds inward and cannot be washed away by shallow rites.","primary_figures":["a meditating sādhu","an aggressor figure","a witnessing teacher/narrator (optional)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage edge with a simple kuṭīra, prayer beads, and a small water pot","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a protective radiance","color_palette":["leaf green","sunlit gold","earth brown","aura white","crimson warning-red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sādhu with gold leaf aura, seated on a tiger/deer-skin, rudrākṣa or tulasī beads; aggressor at the margin in darker tones; embossed gold foliage patterns, rich reds and greens, ornate border framing the moral drama.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil forest with delicate leaves and birds; sādhu serene, aggressor halted mid-step by an unseen force; cool greens and browns with soft golden aura, refined expressions conveying remorse and sanctity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized tree canopy, sādhu with luminous halo, aggressor in dynamic posture; natural pigments with strong ochre/green/red contrasts, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central medallion of the sādhu with lotus border; surrounding panels show the aggressor’s approach and recoil; deep blue background with gold aura motifs, intricate floral framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant bird calls","single bell toll","heavy silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: साधूनामपि = साधूनाम् + अपि; महापातकमेवापि = महापातकम् + एव + अपि
FAQs
It teaches that harming righteous people (sādhus) is a grievous moral offense and is not easily neutralized by routine penances; one must avoid such harm as a core duty of dharma.
It implies that expiation is not a mechanical loophole: when the wrongdoing is severe—such as oppressing the righteous—mere ritual penance may not lead to genuine purification without profound remorse and ethical transformation.
All sādhus—righteous, spiritually oriented persons—are being honored; the verse frames their mistreatment as especially blameworthy.