Shloka 34
Rāma’s Meeting with Agastya: Gift-Ethics (Dāna) and the Tale of King Śveta
कुर्वन्न दोषमाप्नोति मनुरेवात्र कारणम् । वृद्धौ च मातापितरौ साध्वी भार्या शिशुः सुतः
kurvanna doṣamāpnoti manurevātra kāraṇam | vṛddhau ca mātāpitarau sādhvī bhāryā śiśuḥ sutaḥ
Wer so handelt, zieht keine Schuld auf sich — allein Manu ist hier die maßgebende Autorität. Darum soll man besonders die betagte Mutter und den Vater, die tugendhafte Gattin und die Kinder schützen und erhalten — das Kind im Säuglingsalter und den Sohn.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses in Adhyaya 36).
Concept: Śāstra-pramāṇa: Manu is cited as authority that accepting support for protecting dependents (aged parents, virtuous wife, children) is not blameworthy.
Application: Prioritize care for vulnerable family members; when resources are needed for their protection, seek lawful, ethical means without paralyzing guilt.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The sage cites Manu with calm certainty, as if opening a lawbook of dharma, while the troubled listener’s face softens into relief. Behind them, symbolic figures—aged parents, a chaste wife, and small children—appear like a moral mandala of those whom dharma commands one to protect.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇa sage","kṣatriya/householder listener","aged mother","aged father","virtuous wife","infant child","young son"],"setting":"Hermitage teaching space with palm-leaf manuscripts, a small fire altar, and a protective circle of family figures rendered as symbolic vignettes.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["gold leaf","lotus pink","emerald green","royal blue","cream white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the sage holds a palm-leaf manuscript labeled ‘Manu’ (symbolic), right hand in teaching gesture; the listener sits respectfully; behind, a haloed tableau of aged parents, a sādhvī wife, and children; heavy gold leaf radiance, rich reds/greens, gem-like ornamentation, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate teaching scene with manuscript and gentle gestures; family figures appear as soft, cloud-like symbolic panels; cool refined palette with warm highlights; delicate brushwork, lyrical composition, Himalayan-like distant hills for serenity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; manuscript motif; family protection tableau in a circular mandala arrangement; strong red/yellow/green with blue background; temple-wall didactic clarity and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central guru-disciple dharma scene framed by lotus borders; family-protection icons arranged like floral medallions; deep indigo cloth with gold and pink lotuses, intricate vines, devotional didacticism akin to a moral pichwai."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell (soft)","steady tanpura drone (imagined)","crackle of sacred fire"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kurvanna→kurvan na; doṣamāpnoti→doṣam āpnoti; manurevātra→manuḥ eva atra.
FAQs
The verse treats Manu as the foundational lawgiver for dharma, implying that the action being discussed is validated by Manu’s dharma-śāstra authority and therefore is not considered blameworthy.
It emphasizes responsibility toward dependents and family members—especially elderly parents, a virtuous spouse, and vulnerable children—framing such care as a dharmic priority.
The verse aligns with the gṛhastha ideal by prioritizing protection, support, and moral responsibility within the family unit, presenting these as central duties rather than optional virtues.