Shloka 51
The Aśūnyaśayanā Vow (Unempty Bed) and the Aṅgāraka Caturthī Observance
चतुर्भुजं हेममयं च ताम्रपात्रे गुडस्योपरि सर्पियुक्तम् । सामस्वरज्ञाय जितेंद्रियाय वाग्रूपशीलान्वयसंयुताय
caturbhujaṃ hemamayaṃ ca tāmrapātre guḍasyopari sarpiyuktam | sāmasvarajñāya jiteṃdriyāya vāgrūpaśīlānvayasaṃyutāya
Ein vierarmiges Bildnis aus Gold—in ein Kupfergefäß gesetzt, auf Jaggery gelegt und mit Ghee vermengt—(ist darzubringen) dem, der die Melodien der Sāman-Gesänge kennt, die Sinne bezwungen hat und mit edler Rede, würdiger Gestalt, gutem Wandel und vornehmer Abstammung begabt ist.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyāya 24; likely a narrator describing a ritual gift/qualification)
Concept: A gift becomes ‘fit’ through both correct material preparation and the worthiness (adhikāra) of the recipient—learning, self-control, and character are essential.
Application: Support teachers and practitioners who embody restraint and integrity; evaluate recipients by conduct and service, not by display.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous four-armed golden Viṣṇu icon rests within a polished copper vessel, elevated on a mound of jaggery glazed with ghee, as if the sweetness of offering supports the sweetness of devotion. A serene Sāmaveda-knowing brāhmaṇa, composed and self-restrained, receives the consecrated vessel while the donor bows with folded hands.","primary_figures":["caturbhuja golden Viṣṇu icon (arcā)","Sāmaveda-knowing brāhmaṇa (jitendriya)","householder donor"],"setting":"ritual platform with copperware, ghee ladle, jaggery blocks, kusa grass seat, palm-leaf manuscripts of Sāman chants","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["molten gold","polished copper","honey amber","ghee ivory","deep maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central caturbhuja golden Viṣṇu icon in a gleaming copper vessel placed atop jaggery and ghee; thick gold leaf on the icon and vessel highlights, ruby-green ornamental borders, gem-studded jewelry on the brāhmaṇa recipient, symmetrical altar with lamps and conch, rich South Indian iconographic detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate ritual exchange with fine brushwork; copper vessel and golden icon delicately shaded, jaggery rendered as translucent amber; brāhmaṇa with calm refined face, simple white garments; soft background architecture and a hint of hills, lyrical naturalism and patterned textiles.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; caturbhuja icon stylized with large eyes and ornate crown; copper vessel and jaggery-ghee base simplified into strong shapes; warm red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall framing with floral borders and lamp motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Viṣṇu icon as the devotional center surrounded by lotus vines and symmetrical floral borders; copper vessel and offerings stylized; deep blue background with gold accents, small peacocks at corners, intricate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft conch shell","ghee crackle in lamp","gentle bell chimes","hushed Vedic intonation"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गुडस्योपरि = गुडस्य + उपरि; जितेंद्रियाय = जित + इन्द्रियाय (नासिक्य-लोप/अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); वाग्रूपशीलान्वयसंयुताय treated as multi-member tatpurusha: (वाक्-रूप-शील-अन्वय)-संयुताय.
FAQs
It describes a dāna/ritual offering: a golden, four-armed image arranged in a copper vessel with jaggery and ghee, intended for a qualified recipient.
It reflects the Purāṇic dharma principle that gifts bear their fullest merit when offered to a deserving person—one disciplined, learned, and ethically established.
It points to Vedic competence—specifically mastery of Sāmaveda chanting and its melodic intonations—marking the recipient as learned and ritually authoritative.