Shloka 54
Determination of the Householder’s Dharma
Dāna: Types, Recipients, Timing, and Fruits
संक्रांत्यादिषु कालेषु दत्तं भवति चाक्षयम् । प्रयागादिषु तीर्थेषु पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च
saṃkrāṃtyādiṣu kāleṣu dattaṃ bhavati cākṣayam | prayāgādiṣu tīrtheṣu puṇyeṣvāyataneṣu ca
Dana yang diberikan pada waktu-waktu seperti Saṅkrānti menjadi tak binasa; demikian pula bila diberikan di tīrtha suci seperti Prayāga dan di tempat-tempat pemujaan yang kudus.
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses to identify the dialogue pair).
Concept: Dāna becomes akṣaya when aligned with sacred time (saṅkrānti) and sacred space (Prayāga and other tīrthas/āyatanas).
Application: Choose meaningful times (saṅkrānti) and meaningful places (temples, pilgrimage sites) for charity; when unable to travel, give at local Viṣṇu temples as a ‘substitute tīrtha’ with sincere sankalpa.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the Triveṇī Saṅgam, pilgrims stand waist-deep where three currents meet—Ganga’s pale green, Yamuna’s deep blue, Saraswati’s unseen shimmer suggested by swirling light. A donor offers gifts to priests and the poor on the riverbank as temple bells and banners mark Saṅkrānti, implying merit that never diminishes.","primary_figures":["pilgrims performing snāna","donor distributing dāna","brāhmaṇa priests","river goddesses (Gaṅgā, Yamunā) as subtle personifications"],"setting":"Prayāga river confluence with ghats, steps, boats, and a nearby shrine/āyatana; saṅkrānti flags and kalasha pots.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn over sacred waters","color_palette":["river-blue","jade green","sunrise saffron","pearl white","burnished gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Prayāga Sangam at dawn—donor offering gifts on ornate ghats, Gaṅgā and Yamunā as crowned goddesses above the waters, temple mandapa in background, lavish gold leaf on halos, jewelry, and water highlights, rich reds/greens with gem-studded ornamentation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene confluence scene with delicate ripples, pilgrims bathing, donor giving alms, soft dawn gradient sky, refined figures, lyrical trees and distant temples, cool blues and greens balanced with saffron sunrise tones.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghats and flowing rivers with bold outlines, donor in profile offering gifts, river deities with large eyes and ornate crowns, natural pigment palette (red/yellow/green) with black contours, temple wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Sangam framed by lotus borders and floral vines, peacocks and swans near the water, deep blue river field with gold wave motifs, central devotional focus on sacred waters and charity, intricate textile patterns and symmetrical layout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing confluence water","temple bells","boat oars","morning birds","soft conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संक्रांत्यादिषु = संक्रान्ति-आदिषु; चाक्षयम् = च अक्षयम्; प्रयागादिषु = प्रयाग-आदिषु; पुण्येष्वायतनेषु = पुण्येषु आयतनेषु.
FAQs
It teaches that charity becomes “akṣaya” (inexhaustible in merit) when performed at auspicious times like Saṅkrānti and at highly sacred locations such as Prayāga and other tīrthas or holy sanctuaries.
The verse pairs auspicious time (kāla) and auspicious place (deśa) to indicate that both can amplify the spiritual efficacy of dāna, making its merit enduring.
It encourages intentional generosity—choosing meaningful occasions and sacred settings for giving—while implying that disciplined, timely charity yields lasting spiritual benefit.