Shloka 188
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits
असौ तारयते स्वानां कुलानामेकविंशतिं । बंधुभिश्च सुतैश्चैव दासीदासैरनंतकैः
asau tārayate svānāṃ kulānāmekaviṃśatiṃ | baṃdhubhiśca sutaiścaiva dāsīdāsairanaṃtakaiḥ
Un tel être fait traverser et délivre vingt et une générations de sa propre lignée, avec les parents et les fils, et d’innombrables serviteurs et servantes.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Concept: Meritorious acts can uplift not only the doer but also an extended circle of dependents and ancestors, emphasizing responsibility and inclusive welfare.
Application: Practice charity that includes those who rely on you (workers, helpers, family), and dedicate the merit to ancestors and dependents with a prayer for their well-being.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene household courtyard becomes a sacred altar: a donor offers a humble gift with folded hands while a luminous stream of blessings rises like a subtle lotus-vine, touching ancestors arrayed in soft, translucent tiers behind him. Kinsmen, children, and even servants stand together, all bathed in the same sanctifying radiance, suggesting that dharma embraces the entire household.","primary_figures":["a householder donor","ancestors (pitṛs) in subtle forms","family members","servants (male and female)"],"setting":"a clean domestic courtyard with a small fire-altar and offering plates; a faint celestial backdrop showing ancestral tiers","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm saffron","lotus pink","smoky sandalwood gray","gold leaf","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a Vaishnava householder offering dāna before a small altar, ancestors appearing in haloed tiers above, family and servants gathered respectfully; heavy gold leaf halos, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch framing the scene, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard dāna scene with delicate linework; soft hills in the distance, translucent pitṛ-figures floating above like pale clouds; refined faces, gentle gestures, cool blues and muted greens with touches of saffron, lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat yet vibrant pigments; donor and family in frontal poses, pitṛs in a stylized upper register with circular halos; dominant reds, yellows, and greens, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional household offering framed by lotus borders; stylized auspicious motifs (kalasha, conch, chakra) and floral vines; deep blue ground with gold highlights, symmetrical composition, intricate border work suggesting blessings spreading to many generations."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low conch drone","gentle silence","distant family murmurs"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुलानामेकविंशतिं = कुलानाम् + एकविंशतिम्; बंधुभिश्च = बंधुभिः + च; सुतैश्चैव = सुतैः + च + एव; दासीदासैरनंतकैः = दासीदासैः + अनंतकैः.
FAQs
It teaches the doctrine of kuloddhāra—merit gained by a virtuous or spiritually effective person is believed to uplift not only oneself but also multiple generations of one’s lineage and associates.
“Twenty-one” is a recurring Purāṇic number used to express extended ancestral benefit—typically implying broad transgenerational uplift rather than a narrowly literal count.
Personal conduct and spiritual practice are portrayed as socially consequential: one’s merit is not isolated, but can benefit family and dependents, encouraging responsibility, devotion, and righteous living.