Shloka 15
The Glory of Charity: Land-Gifts, Śālagrāma Donation, and Food–Water as Supreme Gifts
तिलप्रमाणं स्वर्णं यो ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । हरेर्निकेतनं याति युक्तः कोटिकुलैरपि
tilapramāṇaṃ svarṇaṃ yo brāhmaṇāya prayacchati | harerniketanaṃ yāti yuktaḥ koṭikulairapi
Wer einem Brahmanen Gold in der Größe eines Sesamkorns darreicht, gelangt zur Wohnstatt Haris — zusammen sogar mit Krores von Familienlinien.
Unknown (context not provided; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue typical of the Brahma-khaṇḍa sections)
Concept: Even a minute gift (sesame-seed-sized gold) offered to a brāhmaṇa with faith can lead to Hari’s abode and uplift many generations—devotion magnifies the act beyond its material size.
Application: Do small but consistent acts of generosity and support for spiritual learning; cultivate śraddhā and humility—impact is not proportional to quantity alone.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa sits on a kusa mat beside a small fire altar, while a devotee offers a tiny sesame-seed-sized nugget of gold on a betel leaf—its minuteness emphasized by close framing. Above them opens a luminous vision of Hari’s abode: a jeweled Vaikuṇṭha gateway with conch and discus motifs, and behind the donor appear faint ancestral silhouettes being lifted upward in a stream of light.","primary_figures":["devotee donor","brāhmaṇa recipient","Hari (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa in visionary form)","ancestral silhouettes (kula)"],"setting":"ritual courtyard with yajña-kunda, kusa grass, water pot, and a distant celestial gateway vision","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["radiant gold","peacock blue","ivory white","ruby red","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close-focus offering of a tiny gold piece on a leaf to a brāhmaṇa, with Vaikuṇṭha arch and Viṣṇu in the upper register; heavy gold leaf work, embossed halos, gem-studded ornaments, rich reds/greens, ornate temple frame and floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate ritual scene with delicate hands presenting a minuscule gold speck; soft celestial Vaikuṇṭha vision in the sky, refined faces, cool blues and gentle gold washes, lyrical trees and subtle architectural arches.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized brāhmaṇa and donor with bold outlines, the tiny gold rendered as a bright dot; upper panel shows Nārāyaṇa with śaṅkha-cakra, framed by traditional mural borders, strong red/yellow/green palette with gold accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vaikuṇṭha gateway as central mandala with conch-disc motifs, donor and brāhmaṇa below in symmetrical posture; intricate floral borders, deep blue ground, gold highlights, lotus patterns and devotional ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","soft drone (tanpura)","fire crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरेर्निकेतनं = हरेः + निकेतनम् (विसर्ग→र्); कोटिकुलैरपि = कोटिकुलैः + अपि (विसर्ग-संधि); तिलप्रमाणं/निकेतनं = -म् → अनुस्वार (ं)
FAQs
It praises dāna—specifically giving even a very small amount of gold (sesame-seed sized) to a brāhmaṇa—as highly meritorious.
“Harer niketana” refers to Viṣṇu’s divine realm (the state or abode associated with Hari), symbolizing spiritual attainment and liberation-oriented merit.
The verse emphasizes generosity and reverence toward worthy recipients, teaching that sincere giving—though materially small—can yield profound spiritual results.