Shloka 166
Karma, Non-Violence, Tīrtha & Gaṅgā Merit, Vaiṣṇava Protection, Śālagrāma Worship, and Ekādaśī as Deliverance
तीर्थे स्नांति न ये वैश्य न दत्तं कांचनं च यैः । नैव तप्तं तपः किंचित्ते स्युः सर्वत्र दुःखिताः
tīrthe snāṃti na ye vaiśya na dattaṃ kāṃcanaṃ ca yaiḥ | naiva taptaṃ tapaḥ kiṃcitte syuḥ sarvatra duḥkhitāḥ
Para Waisya yang tidak mandi di tīrtha (tempat suci), yang tidak pernah bersedekah emas, dan yang sama sekali tidak menjalankan tapa—mereka menjadi sengsara di mana-mana.
Unspecified (context-dependent; speaker not stated in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Neglect of tīrtha-snāna, dāna, and tapas results in pervasive unhappiness—spiritual and social impoverishment.
Application: Adopt small, regular disciplines: periodic sacred bathing (or symbolic snāna with mantra), consistent charity, and modest austerities (screen-time fast, mindful speech) to prevent ‘everywhere-duḥkha’.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A merchant household sits amid abundance yet looks inwardly desolate: unopened charity chests, unused gold, and a distant tīrtha-ghāṭa visible across a dry, dusty road. In a parallel vignette, the same figures appear joyful after bathing at the ford and giving alms—showing the verse’s contrast between neglect and dharmic engagement.","primary_figures":["vaiśya merchant","merchant family","alms recipients","tīrtha priest (optional)"],"setting":"Split-scene: a marketplace home with locked coffers; distant river-ghāṭa with pilgrims and a small shrine.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty ochre","muted teal","copper gold","ash gray","river blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: narrative diptych—left panel shows a wealthy vaiśya with closed coffers and somber face; right panel shows tīrtha-snāna and dāna with radiant expressions; gold leaf highlights on coins and divine aura near the shrine, rich textile patterns and ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle moral storytelling with two scenes in one frame; delicate architecture of a bazaar house and a far-off river; subtle facial emotion, restrained palette shifting from dry browns to cool blues near the tīrtha, fine brushwork on garments and trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with expressive eyes; symbolic river and shrine; strong outlines and earthy pigments; visual emphasis on the transformation from duḥkha to contentment through dharma.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative border of coins and sesame pods transforming into lotus motifs near the river; central focus on tīrtha-ghāṭa with devotees giving alms; deep blues and gold accents, symmetrical devotional ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant temple bell","footsteps on stone steps","river sound fading in"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैव → न + एव; किंचित्ते → किञ्चित् + ते. 'दत्तम् काञ्चनम्' and 'तप्तम् तपः' are kta-participle + object-noun collocations meaning 'gold was not given' and 'austerity was not performed'.
FAQs
It highlights three classic dharmic supports: tīrtha-snāna (ritual purification/pilgrimage), dāna (charitable giving, here exemplified by giving gold), and tapas (self-discipline/austerity).
The verse names “Vaiśyas,” but its ethical thrust is broader: neglect of pilgrimage/purification, charity, and disciplined living leads to pervasive dissatisfaction or suffering.
The teaching is that inner and outer well-being is supported by dharmic action—generosity, self-restraint, and engagement with sacred practice—without which one experiences distress across circumstances.