Shloka 23
Teaching of Karma-yoga
Student Conduct, Vedic Study, and Gāyatrī Supremacy
न कुर्यान्मानसं विप्रो गुरोस्त्यागे कथंचन । मोहाद्वा यदि वा लोभात्त्यक्त्वा तु पतितो भवेत्
na kuryānmānasaṃ vipro gurostyāge kathaṃcana | mohādvā yadi vā lobhāttyaktvā tu patito bhavet
Ein Brāhmaṇa soll niemals, auch nicht im Geist, an das Verlassen seines Guru denken. Wenn er ihn jedoch aus Verblendung oder Gier verlässt, wird er zum Gefallenen.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Svargakhaṇḍa 53; verse states a general dharma injunction)
Concept: Guru-droha begins in the mind; even mental abandonment fractures dharma, and actual abandonment from delusion/greed causes spiritual downfall.
Application: Guard inner speech: do not entertain cynical narratives about teachers/mentors; address conflicts through humility and dharmic counsel rather than impulsive severing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A disciple stands at a crossroads: one path leads back to the guru’s hut glowing with lamp-light, the other fades into a shadowed forest labeled by symbols of lobha and moha (coins, mirage). Above, a subtle divine presence suggests that the guru-seat is a channel of grace, and the disciple’s mind is the true battleground.","primary_figures":["guru","brāhmaṇa disciple","personifications of Moha and Lobha (allegorical)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage with a forked path, guru’s kuṭīra, and a shadowed thicket representing temptation.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["lamp gold","shadow indigo","forest green","ash white","rust red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral tableau with disciple at a forked path, guru seated near a lamp-lit kuṭīra, gold leaf aura around guru-seat, allegorical Moha/Lobha in darker tones at the other path, rich reds and greens, ornate borders emphasizing dharma vs temptation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical forest crossroads, delicate rendering of emotions on the disciple’s face, soft lamp glow from the guru’s hut, misty shadow path with subtle symbolic motifs, cool greens and blues with restrained reds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized forked path composition, guru with pronounced eyes and calm posture, Moha/Lobha as demon-like figures in dark pigments, strong red/yellow/green contrasts, mural symmetry conveying ethical clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central devotional axis toward the guru-seat framed by lotus borders, symbolic dark corner with temptation motifs, peacocks subdued, deep blue ground with gold highlights to show inner struggle resolved by reverence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single bell strike","wind through trees","low mridang pulse","brief silence after 'patito bhavet'","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुर्यान्=kuryāt (नकारेण संयोगे न्-आदेशः); गुरोस्त्यागे=guroḥ+tyāge; मोहाद्वा=mohāt+vā; लोभात्त्यक्त्वा=lobhāt+tyaktvā
FAQs
It teaches guru-bhakti and loyalty: a learned person should not abandon the guru, even mentally; abandoning the guru out of delusion or greed leads to spiritual downfall.
It identifies common inner causes that drive unethical choices—confusion about dharma (moha) or desire for gain (lobha)—and warns that such motives can lead to a fall from spiritual integrity.
Maintain fidelity to one’s teacher and lineage, avoid impulsive rejection of guidance, and examine motives—especially greed and confusion—before taking irreversible relational or spiritual decisions.