Shloka 32
Puṣkara Sacrifice: Gāyatrī’s Marriage, Sāvitrī’s Wrath, Rudra’s Test, and the Tīrtha-Māhātmya
दिव्यंवर्षशतं साग्रं स यज्ञो ववृधे तदा । यज्ञवाटं कपर्दी तु भिक्षार्थं समुपागतः
divyaṃvarṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ sa yajño vavṛdhe tadā | yajñavāṭaṃ kapardī tu bhikṣārthaṃ samupāgataḥ
Ein volles Hundert göttlicher Jahre, ja noch darüber hinaus, wuchs jenes Yajña weiter an. Da kam Kapardī (Śiva, der mit verfilztem Haar) zum Opferplatz, um Almosen zu erbitten.
Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue-pair not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Even the most expansive ritual enterprise is tested by the unexpected arrival of the divine in unsettling forms; dharma is measured by response, not duration.
Application: Do not equate longevity/scale of projects with spiritual maturity; cultivate readiness to honor holiness even when it appears inconvenient or socially ‘unacceptable.’
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A colossal yajña has been burning for a hundred divine years, its smoke forming a pillar that seems to stitch earth to heaven. Into the ordered enclosure steps Kapardī—matted hair, ash-smeared body—quietly holding out a begging gesture, turning the ritual’s triumph into a moment of uneasy silence.","primary_figures":["Kapardī (Śiva as bhikṣuka)","ṛtviks","devas (watching)"],"setting":"immense yajña-vedi with towering posts, banners, heaps of offerings, and a guarded perimeter of priests and attendants","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["ash white","ruddy copper","smoke blue","charcoal black","flame orange"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand sacrificial arena with embossed gold detailing on pillars and vessels; Kapardī (Śiva) ash-smeared with matted locks enters holding a begging bowl, contrasted against richly dressed priests; dramatic gold-leaf highlights on flames and ornaments, deep maroon and emerald textiles, intense sacred tension.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: wide composition showing the vast yajña pavilion; delicate depiction of smoke spirals and long ritual duration; Śiva as a wandering ascetic at the edge, subdued colors and fine brushwork; priests clustered in bright whites and saffron, faces turned in surprise.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized massive vedi and agni; Kapardī with bold outlines, ash-toned body, tiger-skin cloth, matted hair; priests in patterned garments; strong reds/yellows/greens with black contouring, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: yajña scene framed by ornate floral borders; central fire as a lotus-flame mandala; Śiva-bhikṣuka entering from the side, rendered with symbolic motifs (trident, crescent) integrated into decorative patterning; deep indigo background with gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sudden hush","fire roar","wind through banners","distant drum (mṛdaṅga)","single bell strike"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: divyaṃvarṣaśataṃ = दिव्यम् + वर्षशतम्; other words mostly in simple junction.
FAQs
In Purāṇic narrative, Śiva’s approach as a mendicant tests the sacrificer’s humility and generosity, reminding that ritual greatness must be joined with reverence and charity.
It indicates an extraordinarily long, cosmic-scale duration, emphasizing the immense magnitude and sustained power of the yajña rather than a simple human calendar span.
Even the most elaborate ritual is incomplete without hospitality and giving; the verse hints that spiritual merit is measured by conduct—especially generosity toward those who ask.