Shloka 64
Determination of the Householder’s Dharma
Dāna: Types, Recipients, Timing, and Fruits
न च मूर्खमवृत्तस्थं दशरात्रमुपोषितम् । सन्निकृष्टमतिक्रम्य श्रोत्रियं यः प्रयच्छति
na ca mūrkhamavṛttasthaṃ daśarātramupoṣitam | sannikṛṣṭamatikramya śrotriyaṃ yaḥ prayacchati
Man soll (eine religiöse Gabe) auch nicht einem törichten Menschen von schlechtem Wandel geben, selbst wenn er zehn Nächte gefastet hat, indem man einen nahen Śrotriya, einen Veda-Kenner, übergeht.
Not explicitly identifiable from the single verse (context needed from Adhyaya 57 framing dialogue).
Concept: Dāna must be guided by guṇa and conduct, not by superficial austerity; fasting alone does not sanctify a foolish, ill-conducted person.
Application: Evaluate character and competence before supporting someone; don’t let performative piety (extreme fasting) override evidence of conduct and learning.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor stands at a crossroads of choice: a nearby śrotriya sits calmly with a manuscript and water pot, while a gaunt ascetic with harsh eyes and careless demeanor extends a hand, boasting of a ten-night fast. The donor turns respectfully toward the śrotriya, illustrating discernment—honoring learning and conduct over showy austerity.","primary_figures":["a discerning donor","a śrotriya brāhmaṇa","an unworthy ascetic/foolish recipient","a witness elder"],"setting":"village edge near a small shrine and banyan tree; kusa mats, manuscript bundle, begging bowl","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","sage green","pale saffron","slate gray","sunlit gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral-choice tableau—donor with offering tray turning toward a haloed śrotriya seated with palm-leaf texts; an unworthy ascetic with disheveled look stands aside; gold leaf highlights on the śrotriya and offering vessels, rich reds/greens, ornate border framing the ethical decision.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene under a banyan; the śrotriya’s calm face and manuscript details rendered finely; the unworthy figure shown with subtle cues of bad conduct; soft light, cool shadows, refined textiles and naturalistic foliage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic clarity—two recipients on either side, donor centered; stylized eyes and gestures; warm pigment blocks, decorative temple-panel border emphasizing dharma-viveka.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with lotus borders; donor offering toward the śrotriya in the central register; peacocks and floral motifs; deep blue background with gold accents, narrative labels implied through iconographic cues."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","soft temple bell","footsteps on earth","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मूर्खम् + अवृत्तस्थम् → मूर्खमवृत्तस्थम्; दशरात्रम् + उपोषितम् → दशरात्रमुपोषितम्; सन्निकृष्टम् + अतिक्रम्य → सन्निकृष्टमतिक्रम्य.
FAQs
It teaches that charity should be directed to worthy recipients—especially learned and disciplined śrotriyas—rather than to the unworthy, even if the unworthy display outward austerities like fasting.
A śrotriya is a person properly trained in the Vedic tradition (śruti), implying learning, discipline, and eligibility to receive religious gifts.
No. It critiques relying on austerity alone as proof of worthiness; moral conduct and genuine qualification are presented as more important for choosing a recipient of dāna.