Shloka 161
Agastya Arghya Rite and the Gaurī & Sārasvata Vows
with Origin Narratives and Merit Statements
सपत्नीकाय विप्राय गौरी मे प्रीयतामिति । आत्मानंदकरीं नाम प्राप्नुयात्संपदं नरः
sapatnīkāya viprāya gaurī me prīyatāmiti | ātmānaṃdakarīṃ nāma prāpnuyātsaṃpadaṃ naraḥ
Wer einem Brahmanen zusammen mit seiner Gattin eine Gabe darbringt und spricht: „Möge Gaurī an mir Gefallen finden“, erlangt einen Wohlstand namens Ātmānandakarī, die Spenderin innerer Wonne.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Dāna performed with śraddhā and a devotional saṅkalpa (invoking Gaurī) yields both outer prosperity and inner contentment (ātmānanda).
Application: Give regularly with a clear, benevolent intention; include one’s household in acts of charity; dedicate the merit to the Divine rather than to egoic gain.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene household courtyard becomes a sacred altar: a devoted couple offers gifts to a learned brāhmaṇa and his wife, hands joined in saṅkalpa, softly uttering, “Gaurī me prīyatām.” Behind them, a subtle vision of Gaurī’s compassionate presence appears like a gentle aura, suggesting the ‘Ātmānandakarī’ prosperity—inner joy radiating outward.","primary_figures":["Gaurī (Pārvatī)","devotee couple (dānapati and patnī)","brāhmaṇa couple (recipient)"],"setting":"A clean domestic courtyard with a small pūjā platform, kalasha, flowers, and a lamp; banana leaves and rangoli patterns; a quiet village or temple-adjacent home.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lotus pink","vermillion red","sandalwood beige","emerald green","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Gaurī as a radiant, benevolent presence behind the dāna scene, gold leaf halo and ornate crown, rich red-green textiles, gem-studded jewelry; foreground shows the couple offering cloth, grains, and coins to a brāhmaṇa couple, with thick gesso relief on ornaments and lamp flames.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard charity scene with delicate linework, soft pastel architecture, refined faces; Gaurī appears as a faint, compassionate vision in the sky, surrounded by floral motifs; cool shadows and lyrical domestic detail (rangoli, tulasī pot at the edge).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and warm natural pigments; Gaurī with large expressive eyes and stylized ornaments; the dāna ritual rendered with clear iconographic gestures—joined palms, offering bowl, lamp—against a temple-wall aesthetic background.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional courtyard framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; although Gaurī-centered, include Vaishnava-compatible auspicious symbols (conch, lotus) in the border; deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks perched near the lamp, abundant garlands emphasizing prosperity and inner bliss."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft handbell (ghaṇṭā)","low conch shell","gentle courtyard silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रीयतामिति = प्रीयताम् + इति; आत्मानंदकरीं = आत्मानन्दकरीम्; प्राप्नुयात्संपदं = प्राप्नुयात् + सम्पदम्.
FAQs
It recommends making a charitable offering to a Brahmin while accompanied by one’s wife, with a devotional intention: “May Gaurī be pleased.”
The verse says one attains a form of prosperity called Ātmānandakarī—prosperity associated with inner joy or spiritual contentment.
It links charity (dāna) with reverent intention and family participation, presenting generosity and devotion as a cause of both worldly well-being and inner happiness.