Shloka 19
Exposition of the Duties of Ascetics
Saṃnyāsa-Dharma
प्राणिहिंसानिवृत्तश्च मौनी स्यात्सर्वनिस्पृहः । दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्
prāṇihiṃsānivṛttaśca maunī syātsarvanispṛhaḥ | dṛṣṭipūtaṃ nyasetpādaṃ vastrapūtaṃ jalaṃ pibet
Er soll vom Verletzen lebender Wesen abstehen, im Wort gezügelt sein und frei von allem Begehren. Den Fuß setze er erst nach dem Blick (so wird der Boden durch das Sehen gereinigt), und Wasser trinke er, durch ein Tuch gefiltert.
Unspecified (didactic instruction within the Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Ahiṃsā is practiced through meticulous mindfulness: restrained speech, desirelessness, careful stepping, and filtered water.
Application: Reduce harm in small ways: watch where you step, filter/strain water when appropriate, speak less and more truthfully, simplify desires; adopt ‘mindful consumption’ as modern ahiṃsā.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A silent yati walks slowly along a forest path, eyes lowered in compassion, placing each foot only after careful looking to avoid tiny creatures. Nearby, he pours water through a clean cloth into a small vessel, the filtered stream catching light like a thin silver ribbon.","primary_figures":["Vaishnava yati","tiny forest creatures (ants/insects as subtle detail)"],"setting":"Forest edge near a small hermitage, with a simple water pot, cloth filter, and leaf-littered path.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["leaf green","saffron","silver-white water","earth umber","sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: yati in saffron with kamaṇḍalu, filtering water through cloth, careful stepping on a path with tiny creatures rendered as delicate motifs; gold leaf highlights on water stream and vessel, rich reds/greens, ornate border emphasizing purity and compassion.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical forest scene with delicate brushwork; yati’s lowered gaze, tiny ants near his foot, shimmering filtered water; cool greens and blues, refined facial serenity, gentle naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized foliage; yati filtering water with clear iconographic gestures; red/yellow/green pigments, temple-wall didactic composition highlighting ahiṃsā and mauna.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional forest vignette framed by floral borders; peacocks at corners, lotus motifs; yati’s careful step and cloth-filtered water depicted with intricate patterning, deep blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water (soft)","forest birds","rustling leaves","occasional bell (very faint)","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राणिहिंसानिवृत्तश्च = प्राणि-हिंसा-निवृत्तः च; स्यात्सर्वनिस्पृहः = स्यात् सर्व-निःस्पृहः; न्यसेत्पादं = न्यसेत् पादम्.
FAQs
It teaches refraining from harming any living being and adopting careful, mindful habits—such as looking before stepping to avoid injuring small creatures, and filtering water through cloth.
The verse emphasizes disciplined compassion: non-harming (ahiṃsā), restraint in speech, and freedom from craving, expressed through concrete daily behaviors.
These are practical safeguards for ahiṃsā. Filtering water helps avoid harming minute life-forms, and watching one’s step reduces accidental injury—turning ethics into lived vigilance.