Shloka 14
Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
भूतमिथ्यापवादं च साधुनिंदा परं तथा । एवं शतसहस्रं तु तथा गोहरणं कृतम्
bhūtamithyāpavādaṃ ca sādhuniṃdā paraṃ tathā | evaṃ śatasahasraṃ tu tathā goharaṇaṃ kṛtam
Falsche Anklagen gegen den Unschuldigen und ebenso die schwere Sünde, die Tugendhaften zu schmähen—solche Vergehen, zu Hunderttausenden, gelten als gleichsam auch von dem begangen, der eine Kuh stiehlt.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from Adhyaya 59 framing dialogue).
Concept: Slander of the virtuous and false accusation of the innocent are massive sins, comparable in weight to cow-stealing; speech-violence can equal physical crime.
Application: Guard speech: avoid gossip, defamation, and unverified claims; practice ‘satya + hita’ (truth that is beneficial).
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic scale of dharma floats in a dark hall: on one side, a radiant cow with a golden aura; on the other, black serpentine words—‘mithyāpavāda’ and ‘sādhunindā’—coil and multiply into ‘hundreds of thousands’ of shadow-marks. The innocent stands bathed in pale light while the slanderer’s mouth emits smoky crows, showing speech as a weapon.","primary_figures":["a sacred cow (gauḥ) as symbol","an innocent person","a slanderer","Citragupta (recording)"],"setting":"Mythic judgment-space with a floating balance-scale and karmic inscriptions in the air.","lighting_mood":"storm-dark with piercing moral spotlight","color_palette":["obsidian black","blood maroon","pale moon-white","antique gold","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central golden balance-scale with gold leaf; sacred cow rendered with jeweled ornaments and halo; dark calligraphic ribbons for slander/falsehood; Citragupta with ornate crown and stylus; rich reds/greens, heavy gold, gem-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic allegory—delicate cow figure glowing; fine ink-like script forming shadow-serpents; subdued architecture; cool grays and blues with gold accents; expressive faces emphasizing fear and remorse.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines of cow and figures; stylized black speech-crows and serpent-letters; strong red/yellow/green palette with dramatic contrast; temple-wall moral iconography.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow-centered devotional symbolism with lotus borders; dark paisley-like speech motifs encroaching; deep indigo ground, gold floral filigree, intricate border patterns, moral allegory in Nathdwara decorative language."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell (low)","distant thunder","ledger-scratch","heavy silence after ‘śatasahasram’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhūtamithyāpavādaṃ → bhūta-mithyā-apavādam; sādhunिंdā → sādhu-nindā; śatasahasraṃ → śata-sahasram; goharaṇaṃ → go-haraṇam.
FAQs
No. This śloka is ethical in focus, warning about severe wrongdoing such as false accusation, slander of the virtuous, and cow-stealing.
It supports a core devotional ethic: honoring sādhus (holy/virtuous persons). Slandering the virtuous is portrayed as a grave sin, which aligns with Bhakti traditions that emphasize reverence for saints and moral speech.
Guard speech and conduct: do not make false accusations, do not malign virtuous people, and do not commit theft—especially cow-stealing, treated as an extremely serious offense.