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
Qu’il s’abstienne du ghee et de toute sorte de sel, ainsi que de toute nourriture devenue rance. Qu’il évite sans cesse les spectacles de danse et demeure sans désir pour les chants et autres plaisirs.
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.