Shloka 171
Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
द्विजं गां कांचनं चैव दृष्ट्वा स्पृष्ट्वा गृहं व्रजेत् । स्वगेहस्थां ततः पुण्यां प्रतिमां चापि पूजयेत्
dvijaṃ gāṃ kāṃcanaṃ caiva dṛṣṭvā spṛṣṭvā gṛhaṃ vrajet | svagehasthāṃ tataḥ puṇyāṃ pratimāṃ cāpi pūjayet
Nachdem man einen Brāhmaṇa, eine Kuh und Gold gesehen und ehrfürchtig berührt hat, soll man nach Hause zurückkehren; dann soll man im eigenen Haus auch das glückverheißende heilige Bild (Mūrti) der Gottheit verehren.
Unspecified (narratorial injunction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Auspicious contact (darśana/sparśana) with brāhmaṇa, cow, and gold precedes home worship, linking social ethics, prosperity, and devotion into one integrated Vaiṣṇava life-pattern.
Application: Before beginning daily worship, cultivate respect for teachers/elders, practice compassion toward animals, and treat wealth as a sacred trust; then worship at home with a clean, grateful mind.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Returning from morning rites, the devotee pauses to bow to a brāhmaṇa, gently touches a cow’s forehead in reverence, and briefly touches a piece of gold as a sign of auspicious Śrī. Entering the home, the devotee lights a lamp before a small, radiant deity image and begins calm arcā worship.","primary_figures":["a brāhmaṇa","a cow (go-mātā)","a householder-devotee","household deity image (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)"],"setting":"village lane leading into a home courtyard with a small shrine niche; lamp, incense, and flowers arranged before the pratīmā","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ghee-lamp amber","cow-white","leaf green","golden yellow","deep maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: narrative panel showing devotee touching brāhmaṇa’s feet, blessing cow, and then worshiping a Vishnu icon at a home shrine; heavy gold leaf on jewelry, lamp flame, and deity halo, rich maroon and emerald textiles, ornate arch around the pratīmā, embossed auspicious motifs (lotus, conch, chakra).","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle domestic scene with refined figures—brāhmaṇa seated, cow calm, devotee transitioning into a quiet shrine room; soft pastel architecture, delicate lamp glow, lyrical naturalism, subtle detailing of flowers and ritual items.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized cow and brāhmaṇa with bold outlines, devotee in reverent posture, home shrine with iconic deity face and large eyes, strong red/yellow/green pigments, patterned borders with lotus and creepers, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: home shrine centered with Vishnu/Krishna symbols, surrounding vignettes of cow reverence and brāhmaṇa honor, ornate floral borders, deep blue background with gold highlights, lotus motifs and hanging garlands, peacocks at corners, intricate textile detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["cow bells (soft)","household lamp crackle","mantra murmurs","distant temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव; चापि = च + अपि. No further external sandhi requiring split.
FAQs
They function as traditional markers of auspiciousness and dharmic prosperity—honoring the learned (dvija), protecting the sacred cow (gau), and rightly valuing wealth (kāñcana)—before returning to household worship.
It places home-based devotion at the center: after engaging with auspicious and socially dharmic realities, the householder is instructed to worship the deity image kept in the home.
Auspiciousness is not merely external; it culminates in reverent action—respecting holy beings and resources, then directing one’s life toward disciplined worship and gratitude within the household.