Shloka 50
Praise of the Merits of Sacred Ponds, Tree-Planting, and Water-Charities
स्वर्गाच्चैवाच्युतो मर्त्यो देवैरपि प्रपूज्यते । मासमेकं तु यो दद्यात्प्रपां ग्रीष्मेथ निर्जले
svargāccaivācyuto martyo devairapi prapūjyate | māsamekaṃ tu yo dadyātprapāṃ grīṣmetha nirjale
Even a mortal who has fallen from heaven is honored even by the gods, if—during the dry summer—in a waterless region he provides a water-shelter (prapā), a public drinking place, for a single month.
Unspecified in provided excerpt (context needed from Adhyaya 58 framing dialogue).
Concept: Compassionate public service—especially water-giving in drought—restores honor and earns divine reverence.
Application: Sponsor or maintain a clean drinking-water point in summer; ensure accessibility, hygiene, and continuity for at least a month; treat it as worship.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a blazing summer landscape, a shaded prapā stands at a crossroads: earthen pots sweat cool droplets while travelers cup their hands for water. A donor quietly replenishes the pots, and the scene subtly suggests unseen devas honoring the act with a gentle radiance.","primary_figures":["donor maintaining prapā","thirsty travelers","subtle celestial witnesses (devas, optional)"],"setting":"Dusty road in a waterless region, thatched canopy, earthen ghatas on a wooden stand, small sign of dharma (tilaka/flag) nearby.","lighting_mood":"high-noon glare softened by shade","color_palette":["sun-baked ochre","terracotta","palm-leaf green","chalk white","cool turquoise"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a roadside prapā under a decorated canopy; large terracotta pots with gold-highlighted rims; travelers receiving water; donor with devotional demeanor; faint gold-leaf aura indicating deva-approval, rich reds and greens in textiles, ornate borders with mango-leaf motifs and tiny bells.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: arid hills and a winding road; delicate figures under a small shaded kiosk; cool wash of turquoise water contrasting warm ochres; refined faces showing relief; sparse trees and distant heat haze rendered with lyrical restraint.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized canopy and pots with bold outlines; donor and travelers in rhythmic poses; warm red-yellow palette with green accents; symbolic divine presence as a haloed glow above the water pots, temple-art symmetry and patterned ground.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central prapā framed by floral borders; lotus and creeper motifs; peacocks near a water pot; deep blue decorative background with gold detailing; the act of jaladāna presented as offering to Hari through service to pilgrims."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["earthen pot water pour","distant footsteps","hot wind hush","small bell chime"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: svargāccaivācyuto → स्वर्गात् + च + एव + अच्युतः; devairapi → देवैः + अपि; dadyātprapāṃ → दद्यात् + प्रपाम्; grīṣmetha → ग्रीष्मे + अथ.
FAQs
It elevates practical compassion—ensuring drinking water in harsh summer conditions—as a supremely meritorious act that earns honor even from the gods.
A prapā is a public drinking-water arrangement—such as a shaded water-stand, booth, or rest-stop—set up for travelers and locals, especially during summer.
Though Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa includes cosmological themes, it also stresses dharma in lived society; here, social welfare (water charity) is framed as spiritually transformative merit.