Shloka 145
Viśokā Dvādaśī Vow, Guḍa-Dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift, and Śaila-Dāna (Mountain-Charity) Rites
उत्तमः पलसाहस्रो मध्यमः पंचभिः शतैः । तदर्धेनाधमस्तद्वदल्पवित्तोपि मानवः
uttamaḥ palasāhasro madhyamaḥ paṃcabhiḥ śataiḥ | tadardhenādhamastadvadalpavittopi mānavaḥ
The highest offering is a thousand palas; the middling is five hundred. The lowest is half of that; likewise, even a man of little wealth should give according to his means.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Charity should be proportionate to one’s capacity; even the poor participate through sincere, smaller gifts.
Application: Set a consistent giving practice (money/food/time) scaled to income; avoid shame or pride—make generosity sustainable.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A calm sacrificial pavilion where a king and householders line up to offer measured gifts—some bring heavy gold weights, others a small pouch—yet all are received with equal reverence. A sage records the offerings on palm leaves, emphasizing that sincerity, not size, sanctifies the act.","primary_figures":["a dharma-teaching sage","a king (rājasattama)","householders of varied means","ṛtvij priests"],"setting":"yajña-śālā with kusa grass, ladles, grain heaps, and a donation platform marked with standard weights (pala measures)","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","saffron ochre","copper bronze","leaf green","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a yajña pavilion with the king offering a measured gold weight while a poor devotee offers a single small pala; gold leaf embellishment on ornaments and offering vessels, rich reds and greens, gem-studded crowns, traditional South Indian iconography, symmetrical composition with a dharma-sage blessing both equally.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene of a sage teaching graded charity to a king, villagers in simple garments holding small offerings, cool earthy palette, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, distant hills and a quiet riverbank beyond the pavilion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red/yellow/green pigments, a ritual hall with priests and the king, stylized eyes, rhythmic arrangement of offering bowls labeled by measures, serene dharma-teaching mood.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional courtyard with floral borders and lotus motifs, heaps of grain and small offering bowls, peacocks at the edges, deep indigo background with gold highlights, central sage blessing donors of different means."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low fire-crackle","murmured mantra","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तदर्धेनाधमः = तदर्धेन अधमः; तद्वदल्पवित्तोपि = तद्वत् अल्पवित्तः अपि (ः + अ → ओ; sandhi in writing)
FAQs
It sets graded standards (best, middling, lowest) and affirms proportional giving—even the poor should contribute in a way that matches their capacity.
“Pala” is a traditional unit of weight used for measuring valuable substances (often metals); the verse uses it to quantify graded amounts.
Dharma is not only for the wealthy; merit comes from sincerity and proportionate effort, not merely from large absolute amounts.