Shloka 166
Karma, Non-Violence, Tīrtha & Gaṅgā Merit, Vaiṣṇava Protection, Śālagrāma Worship, and Ekādaśī as Deliverance
तीर्थे स्नांति न ये वैश्य न दत्तं कांचनं च यैः । नैव तप्तं तपः किंचित्ते स्युः सर्वत्र दुःखिताः
tīrthe snāṃti na ye vaiśya na dattaṃ kāṃcanaṃ ca yaiḥ | naiva taptaṃ tapaḥ kiṃcitte syuḥ sarvatra duḥkhitāḥ
Aquellos vaiśyas que no se bañan en los tīrthas, por quienes no se ha dado oro en caridad y que no han practicado austeridad alguna, se vuelven desdichados en todas partes.
Unspecified (context-dependent; speaker not stated in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Neglect of tīrtha-snāna, dāna, and tapas results in pervasive unhappiness—spiritual and social impoverishment.
Application: Adopt small, regular disciplines: periodic sacred bathing (or symbolic snāna with mantra), consistent charity, and modest austerities (screen-time fast, mindful speech) to prevent ‘everywhere-duḥkha’.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A merchant household sits amid abundance yet looks inwardly desolate: unopened charity chests, unused gold, and a distant tīrtha-ghāṭa visible across a dry, dusty road. In a parallel vignette, the same figures appear joyful after bathing at the ford and giving alms—showing the verse’s contrast between neglect and dharmic engagement.","primary_figures":["vaiśya merchant","merchant family","alms recipients","tīrtha priest (optional)"],"setting":"Split-scene: a marketplace home with locked coffers; distant river-ghāṭa with pilgrims and a small shrine.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty ochre","muted teal","copper gold","ash gray","river blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: narrative diptych—left panel shows a wealthy vaiśya with closed coffers and somber face; right panel shows tīrtha-snāna and dāna with radiant expressions; gold leaf highlights on coins and divine aura near the shrine, rich textile patterns and ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle moral storytelling with two scenes in one frame; delicate architecture of a bazaar house and a far-off river; subtle facial emotion, restrained palette shifting from dry browns to cool blues near the tīrtha, fine brushwork on garments and trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with expressive eyes; symbolic river and shrine; strong outlines and earthy pigments; visual emphasis on the transformation from duḥkha to contentment through dharma.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative border of coins and sesame pods transforming into lotus motifs near the river; central focus on tīrtha-ghāṭa with devotees giving alms; deep blues and gold accents, symmetrical devotional ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant temple bell","footsteps on stone steps","river sound fading in"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैव → न + एव; किंचित्ते → किञ्चित् + ते. 'दत्तम् काञ्चनम्' and 'तप्तम् तपः' are kta-participle + object-noun collocations meaning 'gold was not given' and 'austerity was not performed'.
FAQs
It highlights three classic dharmic supports: tīrtha-snāna (ritual purification/pilgrimage), dāna (charitable giving, here exemplified by giving gold), and tapas (self-discipline/austerity).
The verse names “Vaiśyas,” but its ethical thrust is broader: neglect of pilgrimage/purification, charity, and disciplined living leads to pervasive dissatisfaction or suffering.
The teaching is that inner and outer well-being is supported by dharmic action—generosity, self-restraint, and engagement with sacred practice—without which one experiences distress across circumstances.