Shloka 54
Agastya Arghya Rite and the Gaurī & Sārasvata Vows
with Origin Narratives and Merit Statements
श्वेतां च दद्याद्यदिशक्तिरस्ति रौप्यैः खुरैर्हेममुखीं सवत्सां । धेनुं नरः क्षीरवतीं प्रणम्य स्रग्वस्त्रघंटाभराणां द्विजाय
śvetāṃ ca dadyādyadiśaktirasti raupyaiḥ khurairhemamukhīṃ savatsāṃ | dhenuṃ naraḥ kṣīravatīṃ praṇamya sragvastraghaṃṭābharāṇāṃ dvijāya
Wenn er die Mittel hat, soll der Mann eine weiße Kuh samt Kalb geben, mit silbernen Hufen und goldenem Antlitz, reich an Milch; nachdem er ehrfürchtig sich verneigt hat, soll er sie einem Brahmanen spenden, geschmückt mit Girlanden, Tuch und Glocke.
Unspecified (narrative instruction within the Adhyāya; likely delivered within the chapter’s teaching dialogue context)
Concept: Give according to capacity (yad-śakti) and with reverence; sustaining life (milk-giving cow) becomes a high form of charity when offered to a worthy recipient.
Application: Practice proportionate generosity: support life-sustaining causes (food, care, education) with humility and respect, not display; let giving be accompanied by pranāma (inner gratitude).
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A radiant white cow stands calmly with her calf, silvered hooves catching the light and a golden sheen on her face, a bell at her neck. The donor bows with folded hands before offering her—garlanded and cloth-adorned—to a dignified brāhmaṇa, while the scene breathes pastoral sanctity and gentle compassion.","primary_figures":["white cow (dhenu) with calf","householder donor","brāhmaṇa recipient"],"setting":"village-edge ritual space or temple courtyard with a small altar, flower baskets, and a shaded tree","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["milk white","antique gold","silver grey","leaf green","vermillion red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central white dhenu with calf, silver hooves and golden face rendered with embossed gold leaf, ornate bell and garlands, silk cloth drape; donor in pranāma posture offering the cow to a brāhmaṇa; rich red-green background, temple pillars, heavy gold ornamentation and halo-like embellishments around the sacred gift.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tender pastoral scene with a serene white cow and calf, subtle silver highlights on hooves, warm gold tint on the face, delicate garlands; donor bowing, brāhmaṇa receiving with calm dignity; soft landscape, flowering shrubs, gentle morning sky, refined facial features and fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined cow and calf with stylized ornaments, silver/white hooves indicated by pale pigment, golden face in yellow ochre; donor and brāhmaṇa with characteristic large eyes, temple courtyard and lamp motifs, red-yellow-green palette with black contours.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow-and-calf as central devotional motif framed by lotus vines and ornate borders, bell and garlands highly patterned; deep blue background with gold accents, symmetrical floral geometry, subtle Vaishnava symbols (shankha-chakra) in the border, Nathdwara-inspired richness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["cow bell","soft chanting","temple bells","morning birds","gentle flute-like drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dadyādyadiśaktirasti → dadyāt + yadi + śaktiḥ + asti; khurairhemamukhīṃ → khuraiḥ + hema-mukhīm; sragvastraghaṃṭābharāṇāṃ → srag + vastra + ghaṃṭā + bharāṇām (dvandva, gen. pl.).
FAQs
It recommends gau-dāna—donating a well-adorned, milk-giving white cow with her calf to a brāhmaṇa, if one has the means.
They emphasize the donor’s sincerity and capacity: the gift should be excellent and respectfully presented, matching one’s resources.
Charity should be done according to one’s ability, with humility (praṇamya) and with care for the dignity and completeness of the gift.