Shloka 12
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
एकस्मै दीयते दानमन्येभ्योपि न दीयते । एतच्च पातकं घोरं दानभ्रंशकरं स्मृतम्
ekasmai dīyate dānamanyebhyopi na dīyate | etacca pātakaṃ ghoraṃ dānabhraṃśakaraṃ smṛtam
Jika dana diberikan kepada satu orang namun ditahan dari yang lain, itu dikenang sebagai dosa yang mengerikan, yang meruntuhkan pahala dari pemberian.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 67)
Concept: Partiality in giving—granting to one while withholding from others who are similarly situated—becomes a grave fault that destroys the merit of dāna.
Application: When supporting people (family, staff, dependents, teachers, priests, community), avoid favoritism and perform giving with transparent criteria; if resources are limited, communicate honestly and distribute fairly rather than theatrically rewarding one and neglecting others.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal hall becomes a moral courtroom: a king watches as a steward places a lavish gift into one recipient’s hands while other petitioners stand empty-handed, their faces a mix of hurt and restraint. Above, an unseen cosmic balance tilts—glowing merit-lotus petals fall away like ash, warning that biased charity collapses its own spiritual fruit.","primary_figures":["a king (nṛpa)","a donor (yajamāna)","a favored recipient","neglected petitioners","a subtle personification of Dharma holding scales"],"setting":"pillared sabhā with donation platform, palm-leaf registers, waiting line of supplicants; faint celestial overlay of a merit-lotus dissolving","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with a stern, shadowed undertone","color_palette":["antique gold","deep maroon","smoke gray","indigo","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian royal sabhā scene of dāna with gold leaf halos around Dharma and the king, ornate pillars, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments; depict a merit-lotus above the donor shedding petals to signify puṇya-bhraṁśa, intricate textile patterns, high-relief gold embellishment.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a courtly donation scene with delicate linework and refined faces; cool indigo and soft ochres; a lyrical moral allegory—tiny floating lotus petals fading into the sky above the figures; architectural details and a distant landscape beyond the palace balcony.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; the king seated under a stylized arch, Dharma with scales at center; strong red/yellow/green palette; expressive eyes of neglected petitioners; a symbolic lotus of merit above rendered in flat decorative forms.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition with a large central lotus representing puṇya, petals falling where partiality occurs; ornate floral borders, deep blues and gold; include subtle Vaishnava motifs (conch, discus) indicating that true dāna must be pure to please Viṣṇu, with symmetrical decorative patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells (soft)","low drone (tanpura)","brief silence after 'ghoraṃ'","murmur of an assembly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानमन्येभ्योपि = दानम् + अन्येभ्यः + अपि; एतच्च = एतत् + च.
FAQs
No. It criticizes discriminatory or biased giving—giving to one while unjustly refusing others—calling it a serious fault that undermines the spiritual fruit of charity.
It means “that which causes the ruin or loss of the merit of charity,” implying that partiality can negate the intended पुण्य (puṇya) of giving.
Charity should be guided by fairness, compassion, and dharma rather than favoritism; otherwise, the act of giving can become morally tainted and spiritually unproductive.