Shloka 20
Teaching of Karma-yoga
Student Conduct, Vedic Study, and Gāyatrī Supremacy
घृतं च लवणं सर्वं वर्ज्यं पर्युषितं च यत् । अनृत्यदर्शी सततं भवेद्गीतादि निस्पृहः
ghṛtaṃ ca lavaṇaṃ sarvaṃ varjyaṃ paryuṣitaṃ ca yat | anṛtyadarśī satataṃ bhavedgītādi nispṛhaḥ
Debe abstenerse del ghee y de toda clase de sal, y de cualquier alimento que se haya vuelto rancio. Debe evitar siempre presenciar danzas y permanecer sin ansia por los cantos y lo semejante.
Unspecified (didactic instruction within the chapter; speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Adopt dietary austerity (avoid ghee, salt, stale food) and sensory restraint (avoid dance shows; be free from craving for songs).
Application: Choose fresh, simple meals; reduce salt/oil as a discipline; limit entertainment consumption; replace with kīrtana/japa and scripture listening.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a lamp-lit temple corridor, a vratī declines rich foods—ghee and salt—offered on ornate plates, choosing instead a small bowl of fresh, simple fare. Beyond the doorway, a festive dance performance is visible, but he turns away calmly toward the sanctum, where the deity’s presence draws his senses inward.","primary_figures":["Vaiṣṇava vratī","temple priest/attendant","Vishnu (as sanctum icon)","dancers/musicians (background, de-emphasized)"],"setting":"Temple interior with a visible sanctum doorway; side courtyard hosting a performance","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","brass gold","sapphire blue","fresh leaf green","ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a vratī before a richly adorned Viṣṇu sanctum, refusing ghee/salt-laden dishes and choosing simple fresh food; gold leaf blazing on the deity and lamps, gem-studded ornaments, rich reds/greens; background dancers painted smaller and muted to show detachment, ornate border and embossed details.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet temple threshold scene—inside, the ascetic with a simple bowl; outside, a colorful dance pavilion softly blurred; delicate brushwork, cool shadows, refined facial serenity, architectural details and gentle lamp glow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined temple scene with symmetrical lamps; central vratī turning away from dance toward Viṣṇu icon; natural pigment palette with strong reds/yellows/greens, stylized musicians in the periphery, calm devotional focus in the eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central sanctum motif with Viṣṇu icon framed by lotus borders; side panels show ‘varjya’ items—salt, ghee, stale food—rendered as symbolic motifs; dancers appear as decorative but subdued vignettes; deep blue ground with gold and floral intricacy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","lamp flutter","distant drumbeats (fading)","conch shell (soft)","quiet chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhavedgītādi → भवेत् + गीतादि (t + g → dg by sandhi). Overall sense: avoid ghee and salt; avoid whatever is stale; be one who does not watch dancing, always indifferent to singing etc.
FAQs
It teaches vrata-style self-restraint: avoiding certain foods (ghee, salt, stale food) and avoiding sense-entertainments like dance and songs to cultivate detachment.
They are presented as distractions that stimulate craving; the verse recommends refraining from such entertainments to support indriya-nigraha (control of the senses) and steadiness of mind.
Moderation and non-craving: purity in diet and restraint in leisure are framed as practical means to reduce attachment and strengthen spiritual focus.