Shloka 50
The Tale of the Five Pretas and the Glory of Puṣkara & the Eastern Sarasvatī
न्यासापहर्ता मित्रध्रुक्शूद्रपाकरतः सदा । विस्रंभघाती कूटस्थः स प्रेतो जायते नरः
nyāsāpahartā mitradhrukśūdrapākarataḥ sadā | visraṃbhaghātī kūṭasthaḥ sa preto jāyate naraḥ
Wer anvertrautes Gut stiehlt, Freunde verrät, stets darauf aus ist, Śūdras herabzusetzen, Vertrauende tötet und in Trug verharrt, der wird als Preta geboren, als ruheloser Geist.
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Concept: Breach of trust, betrayal of friendship, deceit, and cruelty toward the vulnerable corrode one’s subtle body and lead to preta-gati.
Application: Guard entrusted resources; keep confidences; treat dependents and marginalized persons with dignity; make transparency a spiritual discipline.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dim courtyard where a man secretly opens a sealed trust-box while a friend stands unaware in the background; the thief’s face is half-lit, half-shadowed, showing duplicity. Above, a faint astral layer reveals a preta-form mirroring his posture, as if his future state already clings to him.","primary_figures":["a deceitful man (kūṭastha)","a trusting friend","a symbolic preta double"],"setting":"nighttime household courtyard with a locked chest, oil lamp, and narrow alley suggesting secrecy","lighting_mood":"moonlit with sharp chiaroscuro","color_palette":["midnight blue","lamp amber","charcoal black","pale bone white","rust red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic indoor courtyard scene with gold leaf on the lamp flame and jewelry, the deceitful figure in rich garments, the trusting friend in softer tones, and a translucent preta outlined with subtle gold; ornate borders, deep reds and greens, traditional South Indian architectural pillars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate nocturne with delicate lines, cool blues and grays, a small warm lamp glow, expressive refined faces, and a faint ghostly overlay behind the thief; detailed textiles and a quiet, tense composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized eyes, strong contrast between lamp-lit yellow and surrounding indigo, the preta as a dark green-gray silhouette; decorative border motifs of serpentine lines to suggest deceit.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition—central chest and lamp framed by floral borders, peacocks subdued in darker tones, a shadow-preta at the margin; deep blue ground with gold highlights, moral symbolism rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"stern","sound_elements":["soft footsteps","rustle of cloth","distant dog bark","single bell strike","heavy silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: न्यासापहर्ता = न्यास + अपहर्ता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); मित्रध्रुक्शूद्रपाकरतः = मित्रध्रुक् + शूद्रपाकरतः; शूद्रपाकरतः = शूद्रपाक + रतः; विस्रंभघाती = विस्रंभ + घाती; कूटस्थः = कूट + स्थः
FAQs
It condemns betrayal of trust—stealing entrusted property, harming friends, and deceit—as grave adharma that leads to severe post-death consequences.
It implies a troubled post-death condition—restlessness and lack of peace—presented here as a karmic result of serious moral violations.
Because violating confidence (visraṃbha) is treated as an especially destructive form of harm: it abuses vulnerability and undermines social and moral order.