Shloka 183
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits
पारत्रमैहिकं वापि कामयद्भिर्नरैः सदा । दातव्यं सर्वदा भीष्म कटुतैलविवर्जितम्
pāratramaihikaṃ vāpi kāmayadbhirnaraiḥ sadā | dātavyaṃ sarvadā bhīṣma kaṭutailavivarjitam
O Bhīṣma, Männer, die stets Wohlergehen im Jenseits oder in dieser Welt begehren, sollen immer als Gabe darreichen, was frei ist von scharfem, beißendem Öl.
Pulastya (in discourse to Bhīṣma)
Concept: Dāna should be sāttvika—pure, non-harmful, and conducive to well-being in both worlds.
Application: Give food and essentials that are healthful and non-irritating; prioritize the recipient’s welfare over display; cultivate mindful generosity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene hermitage courtyard where a sage instructs a warrior-elder on the ethics of charity. Attendants prepare simple, pure offerings—fresh grains, milk, and clarified butter—while pungent oil vessels are set aside, symbolizing restraint and sāttvika discernment.","primary_figures":["Pulastya","Bhīṣma","brahmacārins/attendants"],"setting":"forest āśrama with a small yajña-śālā, leaf-thatched huts, and a low wooden platform for discourse; offering trays of grains and dairy nearby","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron ochre","forest green","milk white","ghee gold","earth brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Pulastya seated on a carved wooden āsana teaching Bhīṣma, both haloed; foreground shows trays of rice, milk pots, and ghee lamps, with a conspicuously covered pungent oil jar set aside; gold leaf embellishment on halos, ornaments, and offering vessels; rich reds and greens, gem-studded details, traditional South Indian iconography and temple-like framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-foothill āśrama scene with delicate brushwork; Pulastya gestures gently while Bhīṣma listens with folded hands; small bowls of grains and dairy arranged neatly, an oil flask pushed to the margin; cool greens and soft browns, lyrical trees and distant blue hills, refined faces and subtle textiles.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; Pulastya and Bhīṣma in profile with large expressive eyes; ritual vessels—milk pot, ghee bowl, grain heap—rendered in stylized forms; warm red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, symmetrical composition emphasizing purity and restraint.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional dharma tableau with ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; sages and a kṣatriya devotee in a courtyard; offerings of grains, milk, and ghee arranged like a seva to Viṣṇu; deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks at the border, intricate patterns suggesting sāttvika abundance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","morning birds","gentle wind in leaves","low conch in distance","ritual fire crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पारत्रमैहिकम् = पारत्र + ऐहिकम्; वापि = वा + अपि; कामयद्भिर्नरैः = कामयद्भिः + नरैः.
FAQs
It recommends consistent charity (dāna), emphasizing that gifts should be offered in a pure and suitable form—specifically avoiding items mixed with pungent oil.
It signals standards of appropriateness and purity in charity: what is offered should be wholesome and not tainted by harsh, undesirable additives, aligning the act of giving with sattvic intent.
That merit is not only about giving, but also about discernment in what is given—ethical generosity includes the quality and suitability of the offering.