Shloka 13
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
नारद उवाच । प्राप्नुवंति गतिं लोकाः पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् । द्विजानां पीडनं कृत्वा गतिं गच्छति कां प्रभो
nārada uvāca | prāpnuvaṃti gatiṃ lokāḥ pūjayitvā dvijottamān | dvijānāṃ pīḍanaṃ kṛtvā gatiṃ gacchati kāṃ prabho
नारद बोले—द्विजोत्तमों का पूजन करके लोग शुभ गति पाते हैं। हे प्रभो, जो द्विजों को पीड़ा देता है, वह किस गति को प्राप्त होता है?
Nārada
Concept: Honoring the worthy (especially brāhmaṇas as carriers of śruti/smṛti and ritual fire) leads to auspicious gati; harming them leads to adverse gati.
Application: Practice respectful speech, hospitality, and support for genuine teachers/priests; avoid contempt, exploitation, or humiliation of those who live by dharma.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A humble household threshold becomes a moral crossroads: a weary, hungry brāhmaṇa guest stands with a begging bowl, while Nārada, veena in hand, turns toward a radiant, four-faced Brahmā seated on a lotus, asking about the unseen destinies shaped by honor or harm. The air feels charged with dharma—one path lit by offering, the other shadowed by contempt.","primary_figures":["Nārada","Brahmā","hungry brāhmaṇa atithi","householder (symbolic)"],"setting":"Lotus-born Brahmā’s celestial pavilion blending into an earthly doorway scene—two realms juxtaposed to show karmic consequence.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance with a moral chiaroscuro at the threshold","color_palette":["lotus pink","saffron gold","sapphire blue","ivory white","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nārada with vīṇā questioning Brahmā on a grand lotus throne; a side-panel vignette shows a hungry brāhmaṇa at a house door, the householder holding a vessel of food; heavy gold leaf halos, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded crowns, ornate arch motifs, sacred thread details, polished wooden panel look.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical scene with Nārada and Brahmā in a delicate lotus pavilion; in the lower register, a quiet Himalayan-style village doorway where a brāhmaṇa guest arrives; cool washes, fine linework, gentle facial expressions, soft clouds, flowering trees, subtle moral tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined Brahmā on lotus with Nārada in dynamic pose; stylized doorway scene with atithi brāhmaṇa; flat temple-wall composition, natural pigment reds/yellows/greens, large expressive eyes, patterned borders with lotus and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional border of lotuses and tulasi leaves framing a central moral tableau—Nārada and Brahmā above, and below a household offering scene; deep indigo background, gold detailing, intricate floral filigree, peacocks at corners, temple-arch framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft temple bells","veena motif (for Nārada)","gentle conch in distance","silence between questions"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्विजोत्तमान् = द्विज-उत्तमान् (कर्मधारय); प्राप्नुवंति → प्राप्नुवन्ति (मानक रूप)
FAQs
It contrasts the merit (puṇya) gained by honoring virtuous Brahmins with the negative karmic consequence implied by harming them, stressing non-injury and respect for dharmic persons.
“Gati” refers to one’s post-death destiny or spiritual trajectory—an auspicious or inauspicious state reached due to one’s actions (karma).
The verse indicates Nārada is speaking to a revered superior (prabhu), but the addressee is not specified in the provided excerpt alone; it depends on the surrounding chapter context.