Shloka 55
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
परस्य वाऽत्मनो वा गां कृत्वा पीडनवाहने । न पालयंति ये मूढास्ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि
parasya vā'tmano vā gāṃ kṛtvā pīḍanavāhane | na pālayaṃti ye mūḍhāste pretāḥ karmajā bhuvi
Jene Toren, die, ob die Kuh einem anderen gehört oder ihnen selbst, sie als Lasttier zu schmerzhaftem Ziehen anjochen und sie nicht schützen—solche Wesen werden auf Erden zu Pretas, aus ihren eigenen Taten geboren.
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Cruel exploitation of cows—yoking them for painful hauling and failing to protect them—produces pretatva as a karmic result.
Application: Practice compassion toward animals; support ethical dairy/animal welfare; avoid cruelty in work and consumption; cultivate protective responsibility for dependents.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village road scene shows a cow painfully yoked to an overloaded cart, ribs visible, while a negligent owner looks away. Above, a subtle karmic vision overlays the scene: the owner’s future preta-form wandering the same earth, hungry and restless, while a compassionate figure loosens the yoke and offers water, hinting at dharmic correction.","primary_figures":["cow (go)","negligent owner","compassionate protector (villager/sage)","preta-vision of the offender"],"setting":"Rural path with fields, banyan tree shade, small shrine at crossroads, dust and cart tracks","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["dusty ochre","banyan green","milk white","terracotta","soft sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: rural dharma tableau—cow at center with ornate yet restrained harness, compassionate figure offering water, negligent owner in darker tones; gold leaf highlights on shrine and halos, rich earthy reds/greens, decorative lotus border, moral symbolism rendered with embossed details.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: pastoral landscape with gentle hills, delicate cow anatomy and expressive eyes, villagers in simple garments; soft dawn light, lyrical trees and fields, a faint translucent preta silhouette behind the negligent owner, fine brushwork and calm yet admonitory mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized cow and cart, strong narrative gestures—protector unyoking the cow; red/yellow/green palette with black accents, small shrine motif, clear moral contrast.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Govinda-themed moral pichwai—central cow protected under a floral canopy, side vignette of cruelty fading into preta-shadow; deep blue background, gold lotus borders, peacocks and cows in Nathdwara idiom, intricate floral filigree and tulasi sprigs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["cow bells","morning birds","distant flute motif","soft wind through fields"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वाऽत्मनो = वा आत्मनः; मूढास्ते = मूढाः ते
FAQs
It condemns exploiting cows for harsh labor and stresses the duty of protection (pālana/go-rakṣā), warning of karmic consequences for cruelty and neglect.
It indicates a degraded, restless condition caused by one’s actions—an immediate karmic repercussion described as a ‘preta’ state ‘on earth’ (bhuvi).
No. It explicitly includes both another’s cow and one’s own (parasya vā ātmano vā), emphasizing that ownership does not justify cruelty or neglect.