Shloka 61
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
गवां गोष्ठे वने चाग्नेः पुरे ग्रामे च दीपनम् । इति पापानि घोराणि सुरापानसमानि तु
gavāṃ goṣṭhe vane cāgneḥ pure grāme ca dīpanam | iti pāpāni ghorāṇi surāpānasamāni tu
Feuer zu legen—im Kuhstall, im Wald, in der Stadt oder im Dorf—das sind schreckliche Sünden, die dem Trunk von berauschendem Getränk gleichgestellt werden.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa narrative dialogue)
Concept: Arson in cowsheds, forests, cities, or villages is a dreadful sin, equated with surā-pāna (liquor-drinking) in severity.
Application: Avoid actions that endanger communal safety; practice responsibility with fire and resources; support protection of animals and environment; repair harm through restitution and service where possible.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A night scene where flames leap from a cowshed roof, casting frantic light on terrified cattle and villagers rushing with pots of water. In the distance, a forest edge glows with spreading fire, while the arsonist’s silhouette retreats—small against the vast destruction—suggesting the karmic enormity of a single act.","primary_figures":["villagers","cows and calves","a repentant or fleeing arsonist figure","a protective elder/priest invoking restraint (optional)"],"setting":"village outskirts with a cowshed, thatched roofs, nearby forest line; water pots, wells, and frantic movement","lighting_mood":"night inferno—harsh firelight and deep shadows","color_palette":["flame orange","charcoal black","smoke violet","panic white highlights","earth brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic nocturnal arson scene with gold leaf used to intensify the fire’s glare; cows rendered with ornate detailing, villagers in dynamic poses; a small shrine in the background with a steady lamp contrasting uncontrolled flames; rich reds and blacks, decorative borders, gold leaf emphasizing the moral warning and the sacred duty of go-rakṣā.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: cinematic night composition—cool indigo sky, bright orange fire, delicate figures carrying water; expressive yet refined faces; the forest line painted with fine brushwork showing the fire’s spread; moral tension conveyed through scale and negative space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and high-contrast flames; narrative clarity with multiple loci—cowshed, village homes, forest edge; stylized eyes and urgent gestures; strong red/yellow/green pigments with black smoke forms, temple-wall storytelling of a grave sin.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic contrast—central cows and a small shrine framed by lotus borders; the fire depicted as a stylized swirling motif around the periphery; deep blue ground with gold and orange detailing; intricate floral borders suggesting dharma’s order threatened by chaos."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling fire","panicked cow calls","shouts and running footsteps","water splashing","conch blast as alarm"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चाग्नेः → च अग्नेः.
FAQs
It condemns arson as a grave adharma because it endangers life, livelihood, and social stability—especially when it targets communal spaces like villages, cities, forests, and cowsheds.
The verse uses surāpāna as a benchmark for a mahāpāpa-like offense; arson is treated as comparably severe due to its destructive, wide-reaching consequences.
Cowsheds, forests, cities, and villages are named to cover both economic-sacred assets (cattle/cows), ecological/common resources (forests), and densely inhabited settlements (villages/cities), emphasizing the broad harm caused by fire-setting.