Shloka 81
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
ये तु मृष्टं समश्नंति नो वांच्छंतं ददंति च । पृथक्पाकी स विज्ञेयो ब्रह्मवादिषु गर्हितः
ye tu mṛṣṭaṃ samaśnaṃti no vāṃcchaṃtaṃ dadaṃti ca | pṛthakpākī sa vijñeyo brahmavādiṣu garhitaḥ
Adapun mereka yang menyantap makanan lezat yang dimasak baik untuk diri sendiri, namun tidak memberi kepada peminta—ia patut dikenal sebagai ‘pṛthakpākī’, dan dicela di kalangan para pengucap Brahman.
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Concept: Food becomes sanctified through sharing; cooking and eating solely for oneself is spiritually blameworthy.
Application: Before eating, reserve a portion for guests, the needy, animals, and sacred offering; cultivate a habit of giving when asked rather than rationalizing refusal.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a modest yet clean brāhmaṇa household, a man eats a lavishly prepared meal on a leaf-plate while, at the threshold, a weary supplicant with an outstretched hand waits. In the background, a small altar flame and a water pot suggest that the home could be a place of yajña, yet the act of refusal casts a moral shadow over the abundance.","primary_figures":["householder (gṛhastha)","supplicant (yācaka/atithi)","silent witness sage (optional, representing brahmavādins)"],"setting":"village home courtyard with threshold (dvāra), simple altar corner, cooking area with pots and ladles","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["burnt umber","saffron ochre","deep maroon","smoke gray","brass gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian courtyard scene with a richly dressed householder seated before a banana-leaf feast, ornate brass vessels and a small agni-kunda at the side; at the doorway a thin supplicant extends a hand. Use gold leaf halos subtly around the altar flame and decorative borders; rich reds, greens, and gem-like highlights on utensils to contrast with the moral austerity of refusal.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate domestic scene with delicate linework—householder eating from a leaf plate, a humble beggar at the threshold, a small shrine niche with a lamp; cool earthy palette, refined faces, lyrical realism, patterned floor mats, and a quiet moral tension conveyed through posture and gaze.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the householder in warm reds and yellows, the supplicant in muted tones; a stylized lamp and altar to one side. Emphasize expressive eyes and symbolic gestures—closed hand of refusal versus open hand of request—within a temple-wall aesthetic frame.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a moral tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; central domestic scene with a small Vishnu shrine in the background, suggesting that feeding others is worship. Deep indigo accents, gold detailing on vessels, and peacock-feather border elements to heighten the devotional subtext of charity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft mridang pulse","crackling hearth fire","brief silence after the censure"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पृथक्पाकी = पृथक् + पाकी; वांच्छंतं = वाञ्छन्तम् (अनुस्वार/चन्द्रबिन्दु-लेखनभेद).
FAQs
A pṛthakpākī is someone who cooks and eats only for oneself—enjoying good food personally while refusing to give to a supplicant or guest.
It condemns selfish consumption and upholds dāna (giving) and hospitality—especially sharing food with those who ask—as a key duty of a householder.
Because brahmavādins value self-restraint, compassion, and duty; refusing to share basic sustenance while indulging oneself is treated as a serious moral failing.