Shloka 21
Qualities and Faults of Heaven; Karma-Bhumi vs Phala-Bhumi; Turning to Viṣṇu’s Supreme Abode
दानमेकं महाभाग नाहं दास्येकदाध्रुवम् । दानाच्च फललोभाच्च तस्मात्पतति वै नरः
dānamekaṃ mahābhāga nāhaṃ dāsyekadādhruvam | dānācca phalalobhācca tasmātpatati vai naraḥ
હે મહાભાગ, હું માત્ર એક વાર દાન નહીં આપું—નિશ્ચયે નહીં. દાનમાં ફળલોભ હોય તો મનુષ્ય ધર્મથી પડી જાય છે।
Unspecified (context not provided in the input; likely a dialogue within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Charity motivated by fruit-craving (phala-lobha) becomes a cause of downfall; dāna must be pure and repeated as a habit, not a bargain.
Application: Give regularly and quietly; set a routine of generosity without tracking returns—time, money, food, or attention.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative tableau: a donor’s hands hover over a golden water-pot and cloth bundle, while a faint shadow of ‘fruit’—coins and garlands—tempts from the side. The sage’s calm gaze redirects the scene toward purity, with a subtle aura around the act of giving itself rather than its reward.","primary_figures":["a royal donor (symbolic Subāhu or interlocutor)","a sage (symbolic Jaimini)","a poor recipient or brahmin (optional, respectful depiction)"],"setting":"courtyard near a small yajña-śālā, with kusa mats and a simple alms bowl","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm ochre","copper gold","ivory","leaf green","soft charcoal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: symbolic dāna scene—donor offering a kalasha and cloth to a serene sage/recipient, gold leaf emphasizing the sanctity of intention, rich reds/greens, ornate borders with lotus and conch motifs, devotional restraint rather than opulence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate moral allegory—hands offering alms, a faint translucent ‘phala-lobha’ temptation vignette at the margin, cool natural palette, refined expressions, quiet courtyard setting with lyrical trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines—donor, sage, and offering vessels; background bands showing symbolic ‘fruit’ motifs being turned away; warm pigments and temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border; central act of dāna framed by lotus creepers; small side panels depict ‘reward-craving’ as decorative but subdued motifs, deep blues and gold, devotional emphasis on purity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft water pouring","distant temple bell","birds at dawn","brief contemplative silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानेकम् = दानम् + एकम्; नाहम् = न + अहम्; दास्येकदा = दास्ये + एकदा; दानाच्च = दानात् + च; फललोभाच्च = फललोभात् + च; तस्मात्पतति = तस्मात् + पतति
FAQs
It warns that charity motivated by craving for reward (phala-lobha) leads to spiritual decline; giving should be done without attachment to results.
It criticizes a token, one-time attitude and—more importantly—condemns giving that is driven by expectation of returns, implying that sustained, selfless giving is superior.
Perform good deeds, especially charity, with purity of intention—without bargaining for merit, fame, or material gain—so the act remains dharmic.