Shloka 95
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
निपातयंति ये तीर्थे ते प्रेता नात्र संशयः । दानमानार्चनैर्नैव यैर्विप्रा भुवि तर्पिताः
nipātayaṃti ye tīrthe te pretā nātra saṃśayaḥ | dānamānārcanairnaiva yairviprā bhuvi tarpitāḥ
Wer den Toten in eine Tīrtha, eine heilige Furt, hinabwirft, ohne zuvor die Brāhmaṇas auf Erden durch Gaben (dāna), Ehrung und Verehrung zu sättigen, wird zum Preta; daran besteht kein Zweifel.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 60; likely a narrator/teacher voice in the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa dialogue tradition)
Concept: Ritual acts at sacred places must be accompanied by ethical duty—especially honoring and satisfying brāhmaṇas—otherwise the act yields preta-state rather than merit.
Application: When performing rites for ancestors or the departed, pair pilgrimage/immersion with sincere charity, respectful hospitality, and worship; avoid treating sacred places as transactional shortcuts.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a misty riverbank tīrtha, mourners prepare to consign a body to the sacred waters, but the atmosphere turns ominous as shadowy preta-forms hover—suggesting that sanctity alone cannot redeem neglect of dāna and brāhmaṇa-satkara. A lone brāhmaṇa stands aside with an unreceived offering plate, while the river glows with indifferent holiness.","primary_figures":["mourners performing antyeṣṭi","brāhmaṇa (unhonored)","shadowy pretas","river-deity presence (subtle)"],"setting":"Sacred ford with stone ghats, banyan tree, small shrine, offering vessels left unused","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ash gray","river-silver","deep indigo","lamp-flame amber","smoke black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred ghat scene with ornate riverbank shrine, gold-leaf halo around the tīrtha’s sanctity contrasted with dark preta silhouettes; mourners in traditional attire, a brāhmaṇa holding an empty pātra; rich reds and greens in garments, heavy gold embellishment on shrine lamps and vessels, gem-studded borders emphasizing moral gravity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate riverside antyeṣṭi tableau at a tīrtha, cool blues and silvers of water, fine linework for hovering preta-forms, expressive faces showing fear and regret; detailed foliage and stepped ghats, restrained palette with lyrical naturalism and subtle moral symbolism (unoffered gifts).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized ghats and river, pretas as dark translucent figures with exaggerated eyes; warm temple-lamp yellows and reds against deep greens; brāhmaṇa figure central with dignified posture, ritual objects rendered with iconic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank tīrtha framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; instead of Krishna-centered joy, a didactic scene—offerings and lamps arranged symmetrically, pretas as faint motifs in the border; deep blues, gold accents, and patterned textiles conveying sacred order disrupted by neglect."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells (distant)","conch shell (faint)","night insects","ritual fire crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nātra → न अत्र; dānamānārcanairnaiva → दान-मान-अर्चनैः न एव; yairviprā → यैः विप्राः
FAQs
It criticizes performing a rite of casting/immersing the deceased at a tīrtha while neglecting the accompanying duty of satisfying brāhmaṇas through charity, respect, and worship.
It treats dāna (and honoring worthy recipients) as an essential component of the rite; without it, the act is considered incomplete and spiritually harmful.
Sacred actions are not merely about location (a tīrtha) but about right conduct—generosity, respect, and proper ritual responsibility toward others.