Shloka 54
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
युगसहस्रं पिण्डेन श्राद्धेनानन्त्यमश्नुते । एतदर्थं हि विद्वांसः कुर्वंते दारसंग्रहं
yugasahasraṃ piṇḍena śrāddhenānantyamaśnute | etadarthaṃ hi vidvāṃsaḥ kurvaṃte dārasaṃgrahaṃ
Durch das Darbringen des piṇḍa im śrāddha-Ritus erlangt man unvergängliches Verdienst für tausend Yugas. Ja, zu diesem Zweck nehmen die Weisen Ehe und Hausstand auf sich.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Śrāddha with piṇḍa-offering yields imperishable merit across immense time; marriage/household is embraced by the wise to fulfill pitṛ obligations and sustain dharma.
Application: Honor ancestors through periodic śrāddha/tarpaṇa and ethical family life; view responsibilities as spiritual practice rather than mere social burden.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sacred śrāddha scene unfolds: a householder offers rice piṇḍas on darbha grass before a small fire and water vessel, while a learned brāhmaṇa witnesses the rite. Behind them, time itself is visualized—concentric rings of yugas like a cosmic clock—while luminous pitṛs receive the offering, suggesting ‘imperishable merit for a thousand yugas’.","primary_figures":["householder (gṛhastha)","brāhmaṇa officiant","pitṛs (luminous recipients)","wife (supportive presence, optional)"],"setting":"Ritual courtyard with darbha, piṇḍa-plate, small kuṇḍa/fire, and a simple household shrine; cosmic yuga-wheel motif in the sky backdrop.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["rice white","sacred ash gray","vermillion red","antique gold","deep blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: elaborate śrāddha ritual with piṇḍa offerings on darbha, brāhmaṇa priest, and a radiant pitṛ realm above; yuga-wheel rendered as embossed gold concentric circles; heavy gold leaf, rich reds and greens, ornate borders, traditional South Indian ritual iconography with meticulous vessels and textiles.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate domestic śrāddha with fine detailing of darbha and piṇḍas; priest and householder in calm poses; above, a poetic celestial band with faint pitṛ figures and a subtle yuga-circle; cool blues and warm earth tones, delicate brushwork and refined expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined ritual figures, stylized fire and offerings; pitṛs in upper register as patterned luminous forms; yuga-wheel as a decorative mandala; natural pigments (red/yellow/green) with black outlines, temple-wall aesthetic and ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central piṇḍa-offering scene framed by intricate floral borders; pitṛs arranged in a golden semicircle above; yuga-sahasra suggested by repeating lotus-ring motifs; deep indigo background with gold highlights, symmetrical devotional textile composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["low fire crackle","water pouring","soft Vedic chanting","temple bell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्राद्धेन+अनन्त्यम्→श्राद्धेनानन्त्यम्; अनन्त्यम्+अश्नुते→अनन्त्यमश्नुते; एतद्+अर्थम्→एतदर्थम्; कुर्वन्ते (पाठे ‘कुर्वंते’ इति लेखनभेदः)
FAQs
It praises performing śrāddha with a piṇḍa offering, stating it yields imperishable merit lasting a thousand yugas.
It frames marriage and establishing a household as a means to fulfill duties like śrāddha—supporting ancestral rites and sustaining dharmic obligations.
It emphasizes responsibility toward one’s ancestors and the idea that personal life-choices (like marriage) can be undertaken for duty and long-term spiritual merit, not merely for pleasure.