Shloka 55
The Supremacy of Food-Charity and the Rāma–Śambūka Episode
Child Revived through Rājadharma
दुष्कृतं यत्र पश्येथास्तत्र यत्नं समाचर । एवं ते धर्मवृद्धिश्च बलस्य वर्धनं तथा
duṣkṛtaṃ yatra paśyethāstatra yatnaṃ samācara | evaṃ te dharmavṛddhiśca balasya vardhanaṃ tathā
Wo immer du Unrecht erblickst, dort übe eifriges Bemühen, es zu hemmen und zu berichtigen. So wächst deine Dharma, und ebenso nimmt deine Kraft zu.
Unspecified (instructional voice within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa narrative context)
Concept: Actively restraining and correcting wrongdoing increases both dharma and inner strength.
Application: Do not normalize unethical behavior: intervene skillfully, report harm, set boundaries, and support the vulnerable; cultivate daily habits that align speech and action with conscience.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vigilant dharmic guardian stands at a crossroads of village life, gently stopping a wrongful act—one hand raised in calm restraint, the other offering guidance. Behind him, a subtle aura of Vishnu’s discus appears like a moral halo, suggesting divine support for righteous intervention.","primary_figures":["Dharmic householder/guardian (symbolic)","Subtle Vishnu-chakra motif (aniconic aura)","Villagers (witnesses)"],"setting":"Ancient Indian village street near a small shrine and banyan tree; everyday life paused at a moment of ethical choice.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron ochre","deep indigo","leaf green","warm gold","earth brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a composed dharmic protector halting wrongdoing at a village crossroads, a faint Vishnu-chakra aureole behind his head, gold leaf embellishment on ornaments and shrine lamps, rich reds and greens, stylized banyan leaves, gem-studded borders, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical village scene under a banyan tree, the protagonist intervening with gentle firmness, delicate brushwork and refined faces, cool shadows with warm dawn highlights, subtle divine chakra motif in the sky, fine textile patterns and quiet moral drama.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat yet vibrant natural pigments, the central figure in calm heroic stance, a circular chakra halo rendered as sacred geometry, temple-shrine backdrop, red/yellow/green dominance with controlled detailing in eyes and jewelry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: moral tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, a symbolic Vishnu-chakra medallion above, cows and peacocks at the margins as auspicious witnesses, deep blues and gold accents, devotional atmosphere despite a worldly setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","measured silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पश्येथाः+तत्र → पश्येथास्तत्र; धर्मवृद्धिः+च → धर्मवृद्धिश्च; अन्यत्र विशेष-सन्धि नहीं।
FAQs
It teaches active responsibility: when one encounters adharma (wrongdoing), one should make sincere effort to prevent, correct, or restrain it rather than remain passive.
It presents moral action as empowering: acting to uphold dharma not only increases righteousness but also builds inner strength—courage, resolve, and social/spiritual authority.
The wording emphasizes “yatna” (earnest effort) to address wrongdoing; this can include reform, restraint, counsel, or appropriate corrective action depending on context, always aimed at restoring dharma.