Shloka 39
Praise of the Merits of Sacred Ponds, Tree-Planting, and Water-Charities
धात्री हरीतकी चान्ये कटुतिक्ताम्लसंभवाः । सर्वे चारामतः शुद्धाः फलदाः शिवदाः सदा
dhātrī harītakī cānye kaṭutiktāmlasaṃbhavāḥ | sarve cārāmataḥ śuddhāḥ phaladāḥ śivadāḥ sadā
Āmalakī (dhātrī), harītakī und andere Früchte, die mit scharfem, bitterem und saurem Geschmack entstehen—alle sind ihrer Natur nach reinigend; stets spenden sie Frucht (Nutzen) und gewähren immerdar Śivas Heil und Gunst.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 58 context)
Concept: Sattvic, naturally purifying substances support inner and outer śauca and become vehicles of auspicious merit when used with right intention.
Application: Choose simple, wholesome foods (especially in vrata periods), offer them first to Bhagavān, and treat diet as part of spiritual discipline (śauca, saṃyama).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene hermitage kitchen-temple space where a sage prepares offerings: gleaming Āmalakī and Harītakī fruits rest on lotus leaves beside a small Viṣṇu altar. The air feels medicinal and sacred—incense curls upward as the fruits are ritually washed and offered, suggesting purity that becomes auspicious merit.","primary_figures":["a Vaishnava sage","a small Viṣṇu mūrti (or Śālagrāma)","attendant disciples"],"setting":"forest āśrama with a simple altar, copper vessels, lotus leaves, and a nearby Tulasi planter (even if not named, as Padma’s devotional ambience)","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["leaf green","turmeric yellow","copper bronze","lotus pink","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a Vaishnava sage offering Āmalakī and Harītakī on lotus leaves before a small Viṣṇu/Śālagrāma shrine, gold leaf halo around the deity, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the altar vessels, intricate floral borders, sacred calm and purity emphasized.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-like hermitage scene with delicate brushwork—sage washing sacred fruits in a copper bowl, a small Viṣṇu shrine under a flowering tree, cool greens and soft pinks, refined faces, lyrical naturalism, distant blue hills and a thin stream.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments—sage in traditional attire presenting fruits to Viṣṇu, stylized lotus motifs, warm red/yellow/green palette, large expressive eyes, temple-wall aesthetic with ornamental creepers framing the scene.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional offering scene with lotus motifs and ornate floral borders—Śālagrāma/Viṣṇu at center, heaps of Āmalakī fruits arranged like garlands, peacocks near a Tulasi planter, deep indigo background with gold detailing, Nathdwara-inspired symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle water pouring","morning birds","incense crackle","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चान्ये = च + अन्ये; कटुतिक्ताम्लसंभवाः = कटु-तिक्त-अम्ल-सम्भवाः; चारामतः = च + आरामतः; फलदाः = फल-दाः; शिवदाः = शिव-दाः
FAQs
Dhātrī (āmalakī, Indian gooseberry) and harītakī are named, along with “other” fruits characterized by pungent, bitter, and sour tastes.
It presents them as inherently purifying (śuddhāḥ) and as bestowers of beneficial results (phaladāḥ) and auspiciousness (śivadāḥ), implying that what is medicinal or cleansing can also be spiritually beneficial.
The Padma Purana often blends dharma and sacred narrative with practical, culture-wide knowledge; here it links qualities of foods/fruits (taste and effect) with purity and auspicious outcomes.