Shloka 155
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
खेदयंत्यर्जने काले कदार्थाः स्युः सुखावहाः । प्रागर्थपतिरुद्विग्नः पश्चात्सर्वार्थनिःस्पृहः
khedayaṃtyarjane kāle kadārthāḥ syuḥ sukhāvahāḥ | prāgarthapatirudvignaḥ paścātsarvārthaniḥspṛhaḥ
Comment de maigres richesses pourraient-elles apporter la joie, quand leur acquisition même engendre la peine ? D’abord, le quêteur de biens est anxieux ; ensuite, il devient indifférent à toute possession.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 66)
Concept: Acquisition itself is distress; the seeker is anxious before gaining, and after gaining becomes weary/indifferent—thus riches are ‘kadartha’ (paltry) as a source of sukha.
Application: Audit your motivations: reduce compulsive accumulation; set a ‘enough’ threshold; convert surplus into dāna and devotional spending; cultivate contentment (santoṣa).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A split narrative panel: on the left, a merchant sweats in a crowded bazaar, bargaining and hauling sacks, his face strained; on the right, the same figure sits quietly with a simple cloth, hands in prayer before a small Viṣṇu altar, eyes softened by niḥspṛhatā. The contrast shows anxiety before gain and calm after letting go.","primary_figures":["merchant/householder (two-phase depiction)","Viṣṇu (altar icon)","a priest or devotee guide"],"setting":"Left: bustling market street; Right: quiet home shrine with lamp, conch, and tulasī pot.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["market ochre","saffron","lamp-gold","peacock blue","soft white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: diptych composition—left panel crowded bazaar with strained merchant, right panel serene shrine scene with Viṣṇu icon under a gold-leaf arch; lavish gold leaf on the shrine, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate jewelry contrasted with simple cloth on the renounced figure, traditional South Indian iconography and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: two scenes within one frame—busy bazaar with delicate figures and textiles, then a quiet interior with a small Viṣṇu shrine and oil lamp; refined facial expressions showing anxiety vs contentment; cool shadows, gentle dawn light, lyrical domestic details.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized market crowd with rhythmic patterns; then a symmetrical shrine space with bold outlines, lamp flame, conch, and a calm devotee; strong reds/yellows/greens, iconic eyes, temple-wall storytelling layout.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of vines and lotuses; central narrative shows transformation from acquisitive bustle to devotional stillness; include a tulasī pot and small Śrīnāthjī-style shrine motif, deep blues and gold, intricate floral patterns emphasizing inner wealth."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft temple bells","distant market murmur fading into silence","lamp crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: खेदयंत्यर्जने = खेदयन्ति + अर्जने; प्रागर्थपतिरुद्विग्नः = प्राक् + अर्थपतिः + उद्विग्नः; पश्चात्सर्वार्थनिःस्पृहः = पश्चात् + सर्वार्थनिःस्पृहः
FAQs
It critiques the pursuit of petty wealth: earning it brings anxiety and strain, and even after obtaining it one often becomes disenchanted—so such gains are not true sources of happiness.
It highlights the psychological cycle of desire and dissatisfaction, encouraging a shift away from fixation on possessions toward inner steadiness and freedom from craving.
Wealth should not be treated as the highest good; if acquisition causes harm or constant agitation, it is wiser to cultivate contentment and right priorities rather than relentless accumulation.