Shloka 47
Karmic Causality, Fate, and the Supremacy of Food-Charity
within Guru-tīrtha Glorification
श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे दत्तस्यांतो न विद्यते । श्रद्धा धर्मसुता देवी पावनी विश्वतारिणी
śraddhayā vidhivatpātre dattasyāṃto na vidyate | śraddhā dharmasutā devī pāvanī viśvatāriṇī
信をもって、定められた作法により、ふさわしい受者に施された布施の功徳には終わりがない。信は女神、ダルマの娘であり、清め、全世界を渡し救う者である。
Unknown (narrative voice not specified in the provided excerpt; commonly transmitted within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Śraddhā (faithful intent) makes a properly given gift inexhaustible in merit; faith itself is a purifying divine power.
Application: Before giving, cultivate right intention: offer respectfully, verify worthiness/need, and give without self-advertisement; add a brief prayer dedicating the act to Narayana.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śraddhā appears as a luminous देवी, emerging like a gentle aurora above a sacrificial altar, while a donor places a gift into the hands of a worthy recipient with folded palms. The merit is visualized as an endless stream of light rising upward, suggesting ‘no end’ to the fruit of faithful giving.","primary_figures":["Śraddhā-devī (personified)","a donor (gṛhastha or king)","a worthy recipient (brāhmaṇa/sage)"],"setting":"sacred courtyard with yajña-kuṇḍa, kusa grass, water pot, and offering vessels; subtle Vishnu symbols on banners","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ivory white","lotus pink","radiant gold","sky blue","soft vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śraddhā-devī with gold halo and ornate crown hovering above a yajña altar; a donor respectfully offering gifts to a serene sage; heavy gold leaf embellishment on jewelry and aura, rich reds/greens, traditional iconography, intricate temple arch framing the scene, visual stream of golden merit rising upward.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate, lyrical scene of giving; Śraddhā as a graceful celestial woman in pale garments; refined faces, soft gradients, flowering trees and a small shrine; the ‘endless merit’ shown as a ribbon of light curling into the sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Śraddhā-devī front-facing with large expressive eyes, bold outlines; altar and donor-recipient gesture simplified into iconic forms; warm red/yellow/green pigments, rhythmic patterns, sacred calm.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of a glowing Śraddhā-devī above lotus patterns; below, symmetrical donors offering to sages; ornate floral borders, gold highlights, peacocks and lamps; subtle Vishnu conch-disc motifs woven into the textile design."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","tanpura drone","soft conch","crackling yajña fire"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दत्तस्यांतो = दत्तस्य + अन्तः (सन्धि: अ + अ → आ; लिखितरूपे ‘स्यां’).
FAQs
It teaches that charity offered with sincere faith, performed properly, and given to a worthy recipient yields merit without limit.
Śraddhā is personified as a देवी (goddess), described as Dharmasutā—“the daughter of Dharma”—and praised as purifying and world-saving.
It emphasizes intention and discernment: give with faith, follow right conduct, and choose a deserving recipient so that the act becomes spiritually transformative.