Genealogy of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Procedure of Śrāddha
दातारो नोभिवर्द्धंतां वेदाः सन्ततिरेव च । श्रद्धा च नो मा व्यगमद्बहुदेयं च नोस्त्विति
dātāro nobhivarddhaṃtāṃ vedāḥ santatireva ca | śraddhā ca no mā vyagamadbahudeyaṃ ca nostviti
Mögen unsere Spender sich mehren; mögen die Veden, die wir bewahren, gedeihen; und möge unsere Linie fortbestehen. Möge unser Glaube niemals weichen, und mögen wir stets reichlich zu geben haben — so beten wir.
Liturgical/collective voice (a benedictory prayer within the narrative context)
Concept: Prosperity is framed as the capacity to give: benefactors, Vedic learning, lineage, and śraddhā are mutually sustaining pillars of dharmic life.
Application: Pray not merely for personal gain but for the strength to support others—teachers, guests, and the needy; maintain daily study/recitation and protect faith through consistent practice.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A communal prayer scene: elders and householders sit in a semicircle, palms joined, as a priest raises a ladle and recites blessings for donors, Vedic flourishing, lineage, unwavering faith, and abundant charity. Behind them, palm-leaf manuscripts and a small fire-altar symbolize living Veda, while baskets of grain and cloth bundles hint at dāna ready to be offered.","primary_figures":["Vedic priest (ṛtvik)","householders","students (brahmacārins)"],"setting":"village yajña-śālā or temple mandapa with manuscripts, fire-altar, and donation items arranged neatly","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","vermillion red","palm-leaf tan","deep indigo","turmeric yellow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: priest in the center blessing donors, stylized fire-altar and palm-leaf Vedas behind; lavish gold leaf on lamps and ornaments, rich crimson backdrop, emerald borders, gem-like detailing on vessels and manuscript covers, symmetrical devotional composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate mandapa scene with soft shading, delicate faces, manuscripts stacked near a low altar; cool evening tones with warm lamp glow, lyrical drapery, fine floral patterns, a sense of quiet collective prayer.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic priest and devotees with bold outlines, flat fields of red/yellow/green; manuscripts and offerings rendered symbolically; large expressive eyes, rhythmic hand gestures of añjali, sacred fire stylized as layered flames.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotuses and creepers framing a central blessing scene; donation baskets, cows at the margins (as recipients of charity), peacocks perched above; deep blue ground with gold highlights and repeating auspicious motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low hum of group response","temple bell punctuations","crackle of small fire","soft hand cymbals","conch at conclusion"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नोभिवर्द्धंतां = नः + अभिवर्धन्ताम्; व्यगमद्बहुदेयं = व्यगमत् + बहुदेयम्; नोस्त्विति = नः + अस्तु + इति.
It is a benedictory prayer for prosperity of benefactors, preservation of Vedic learning, continuity of family lineage, unwavering faith (śraddhā), and the capacity to give generously.
By praying not only for wealth, but specifically for “bahu-deya”—the ability to give much—placing generosity and social responsibility at the heart of prosperity.
The verse pairs sacred knowledge (Vedas) with the inner disposition needed to uphold it (śraddhā), implying that tradition is sustained by both learning and reverent commitment.