Shloka 160
Puṣkara Sacrifice: Gāyatrī’s Marriage, Sāvitrī’s Wrath, Rudra’s Test, and the Tīrtha-Māhātmya
ब्राह्मणानृत्विजः सर्वान्सावित्री वै शशाप ह । प्रतिग्रहार्थाग्निहोत्रो वृथाटव्याश्रयास्तथा
brāhmaṇānṛtvijaḥ sarvānsāvitrī vai śaśāpa ha | pratigrahārthāgnihotro vṛthāṭavyāśrayāstathā
Sāvitrī verfluchte wahrlich alle brahmanischen Priester: «Mögen eure Agnihotra-Feueropfer nur um des Empfangens von Gaben willen vollzogen werden, und möget ihr ebenso ohne Sinn im Wald Zuflucht suchen.»
Narrator (describing Sāvitrī’s curse)
Concept: Ritual (agnihotra/yajña) becomes spiritually sterile when performed for pratigraha (gift-seeking) rather than as niṣkāma duty and devotion.
Application: Examine motives behind religious acts (donations, priestly service, vows): keep transparency, avoid transactional piety, and prioritize sincerity over display.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a solemn sacrificial hall, Sāvitrī stands blazing with righteous anger, her gaze fixed on a row of uneasy ṛtvijas beside a dimming altar-fire. The offerings and ladles lie scattered as if the very agni recoils from greed; beyond the pillars, a shadowed forest path suggests the ‘vain refuge’ of hollow renunciation.","primary_figures":["Sāvitrī","Brahmin ṛtvijas","Agni (as altar flame)"],"setting":"Vedic yajña-śālā with vedi, kuśa grass, ladles, soma vessels; doorway opening toward a dark forest edge","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with sudden fierce divine radiance around Sāvitrī","color_palette":["vermillion red","smoke gray","saffron gold","deep indigo","ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Sāvitrī in fierce yet regal posture inside a yajña-śālā, gold-leaf halo and ornate crown, gem-studded ornaments; the altar-fire rendered with embossed gold flames, anxious ṛtvijas with folded hands, rich maroon and emerald drapery, intricate temple-pillars, traditional South Indian iconographic detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined sacrificial pavilion with delicate linework; Sāvitrī’s stern expression and flowing sari, subtle smoke curling from the altar, priests in pale garments, a cool twilight forest visible beyond; lyrical naturalism with soft blues and muted golds, fine facial features and patterned textiles.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; Sāvitrī centered with large expressive eyes and fiery aura, the vedi and agni stylized, priests arranged symmetrically; dominant reds, yellows, and greens with rhythmic ornamental borders like temple-wall art.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a ceremonial hall framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; symbolic altar-fire and ritual vessels; Sāvitrī as the commanding focal figure with decorative patterns, deep blues and gold accents, peacock-feather-like border detailing, devotional textile richness (even though not Krishna-centered, rendered in Nathdwara ornamental idiom)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["altar fire crackle","temple bells","low murmurs of assembly","conch shell (distant)","brief charged silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वान्सावित्री → सर्वान् सावित्री; प्रतिग्रहार्थाग्निहोत्रो → प्रतिग्रह-अर्थ-अग्निहोत्रः; वृथाटव्याश्रयास्तथा → वृथा अटवी-आश्रयाः तथा.
FAQs
It warns that religious rites lose their spiritual value when performed with a transactional motive—specifically, doing sacrifices primarily to obtain gifts or fees.
It implies an Agnihotra (fire-rite) done “for the sake of accepting gifts,” i.e., performed as a livelihood or for payment rather than as sincere dharma.
The verse suggests that external renunciation (going to the forest) is futile if inner intention remains impure; without right motivation, even austere living becomes spiritually unproductive.