Shloka 20
The Greatness of the Viṣṇu-pañcaka
Five-Day Kārttika Observance
विश्वासघाती ज्ञातीनां वृत्तिच्छेदी द्विजोत्तम । दुष्टं सर्वे समालोक्य तादृशं तद्गृहे द्विजः
viśvāsaghātī jñātīnāṃ vṛtticchedī dvijottama | duṣṭaṃ sarve samālokya tādṛśaṃ tadgṛhe dvijaḥ
O Bester der Zweimalgeborenen, wer das Vertrauen der eigenen Verwandten verrät und ihnen den Lebensunterhalt abschneidet—sehen die Rechtschaffenen einen solchen Bösewicht, meiden sie ihn alle; ebenso meidet ein Brahmane das Haus jenes Mannes.
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Brahma-khaṇḍa discourse)
Concept: Satsaṅga and asatsaṅga: the righteous avoid intimate association (including accepting hospitality) with one who betrays kin and destroys livelihoods; social boundaries protect dharma.
Application: Choose relationships and dependencies carefully; do not enable exploitative behavior; practice compassionate firmness—help through lawful means without endorsing wrongdoing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A calm but firm scene: a dignified brāhmaṇa, carrying a water-pot and prayer beads, pauses at the threshold of a notorious man’s house and turns away, while other respectable townsfolk also keep distance. The wicked man is shown inside in dim light, isolated by his own actions, emphasizing dharma’s protective boundary rather than hatred.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇa (dvijoत्तम)","townspeople (sajjana)","Daṇḍakara (isolated within the house)"],"setting":"Village street with a clear threshold line; the brāhmaṇa’s path leads toward a small Viṣṇu shrine or Tulasi-vṛndāvana in the distance, suggesting the direction of purity.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm saffron","soft ivory","earth brown","leaf green","gentle sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: brāhmaṇa in crisp white with gold-bordered cloth, turning away from a dark doorway; distant small Viṣṇu shrine with gold leaf halo; ornate village architecture, rich reds and greens; gold leaf accents on the brāhmaṇa’s kamandalu and the shrine’s arch, conveying dharma’s radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet village lane at dawn; delicate pastel sky, refined figures; brāhmaṇa’s gentle turning gesture, townspeople subtly stepping back; the house interior shaded with minimal detail to show isolation; lyrical trees and a small shrine in the distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; brāhmaṇa with serene large eyes, hand raised in a restrained ‘no’ gesture; doorway rendered as a dark block; bright temple colors in the background; patterned borders with lotus and conch motifs to signal Vaiṣṇava orientation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: threshold-centered composition with ornate floral border; distant Krishna-Viṣṇu shrine framed by lotus motifs; townspeople arranged symmetrically; palette of warm saffron and deep blue accents; subtle Tulasi sprig motifs along the border to imply the path of purity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["morning birds","soft temple bell","footsteps fading away","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vṛtticchedī = vṛtti + chedī; dvijottama = dvija + uttama; tadgṛhe = tad + gṛhe.
FAQs
It condemns betraying trust within one’s own family/kin and harming them by cutting off their livelihood—treated as clear marks of wicked conduct.
It frames social and ritual association as morally consequential: a brāhmaṇa (and by extension, the righteous) should not endorse or normalize grave wrongdoing through close association such as accepting hospitality.
Do not support, enable, or publicly associate with someone known for betrayal and exploitation—especially of their own relatives—since society’s moral health depends on withdrawing approval from such actions.