Shloka 17
The Yayāti Episode
with the Glory of Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha
जरां तात प्रदत्वा वै पुत्रे तात महद्गताम् । पश्चात्सुखं प्रभोक्तव्यं न तु स्यात्तव जीवितम्
jarāṃ tāta pradatvā vai putre tāta mahadgatām | paścātsukhaṃ prabhoktavyaṃ na tu syāttava jīvitam
O Geliebter, nachdem du wahrlich das Alter auf deinen Sohn übertragen hast, der ein großes Geschick erlangt hat, sollst du danach Glück genießen; dein Leben wird dann nicht bleiben wie jetzt.
Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 78)
Concept: Attempting to offload the burdens of old age onto one’s offspring is ethically fraught; true happiness cannot be secured by unnatural transfers that distort dharma and the natural order of life.
Application: Do not shift your responsibilities or suffering onto dependents; cultivate dignified aging through spiritual practice, simplicity, and gratitude; protect children from coercive expectations.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A surreal, symbolic scene: an aged king reaches out as a misty gray aura—personified jarā—moves from his body toward a radiant young son standing firm, haloed by destiny. The court watches in stunned silence, the air heavy with moral tension, as the transfer of age becomes a visible, almost alchemical event. The son’s face shows both resolve and sorrow, underscoring the cost of such a bargain.","primary_figures":["aged king","son (heir)","personified Jarā (as gray mist/old-woman shadow)","court witnesses","sage observer"],"setting":"royal court transformed into a symbolic space with a darkened sky beyond pillars, ritual fire dimmed, time-wheel motif faintly visible","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ash gray","midnight blue","pale gold","blood red","silver white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic court scene of jarā transfer—aged king extending hands, son receiving a gray aura; gold leaf halos and architectural embellishments, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate borders; the jarā aura rendered with layered metallic grays and silver highlights, a faint kāla-cakra behind them.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic yet unsettling exchange of age—soft gradients for the gray jarā mist, expressive faces, refined court interior; cool midnight blues with pale gold highlights, delicate brushwork, symbolic time-wheel and autumn trees beyond a veranda, restrained but emotionally charged composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and iconic forms; jarā as stylized gray-black cloud figure moving between king and son; strong reds/yellows/greens with ash-gray accents, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, symmetrical court pillars framing the moral drama.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical tableau framed by lotus borders; central figures of king and son with a swirling gray jarā motif like a cloud-vine; deep indigo ground with gold floral filigree, peacocks subdued in corners, conch and lotus symbols, a faint time-wheel medallion above."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["sudden conch shell","court gasp hush","low thunder rumble","temple bell strike"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महद्गताम् = महत् + गताम् (द्-आगम); स्यात्तव = स्यात् + तव (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि);
FAQs
It reflects a dharmic theme of succession and the burdens of aging—suggesting that once responsibility (symbolically ‘old age’) is passed on to the next generation, one may live in ease thereafter.
The phrasing is best read as symbolic or narrative-poetic: ‘old age’ stands for the weight of decline and responsibility, indicating a shift of duties or life-stage transition rather than a medical literalism.
This single verse does not name the speaker. In the Padma Purana, many passages occur within dialogues (often involving Pulastya–Bhīṣma or Śiva–Pārvatī), but identifying the exact speaker requires the immediately surrounding verses of Adhyaya 78.