Shloka 52
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
आत्मघातं द्रुमारोहं कोटरै रूपजीविनं । यः कुर्यादात्मनोघातं स्ववंशे ब्रह्महा भवेत्
ātmaghātaṃ drumārohaṃ koṭarai rūpajīvinaṃ | yaḥ kuryādātmanoghātaṃ svavaṃśe brahmahā bhavet
自害をなす者――自らを傷つけ、木に登って死を求め、あるいは洞に入り別の姿で生をつなぎつつ滅びる者――その者は自らの一族においてブラーフマナ殺しとなる。
Unspecified (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 48)
Concept: Suicide and self-destructive acts are condemned; they generate brahma-hatyā-like guilt within one’s own lineage, emphasizing the sanctity of embodied life and social-spiritual obligations.
Application: Treat self-harm as a serious spiritual and social crisis: seek help, community support, and compassionate counsel; cultivate sattvic practices (japa, kīrtana, service) and avoid isolating despair.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cautionary triptych: one panel shows a lone figure climbing a stark tree under a heavy sky; another shows a dark hollow in the earth like a mouth of despair; the third shows a spectral family line behind the person, their faces fading as a black stain spreads through the ancestral thread. Above all, a faint, compassionate Viṣṇu-symbol (conch and discus) shines as a reminder of life’s sacred purpose.","primary_figures":["A despairing person (symbolic)","Spectral ancestors (pitṛs)","Subtle Vaiṣṇava emblems (śaṅkha-cakra)"],"setting":"Edge of a forest with a dead tree, a rocky ground fissure/hollow, and a distant village silhouette representing social bonds at risk.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","ashen gray","ink black","cold silver","warning vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: triptych composition with gold leaf used to highlight the protective śaṅkha-cakra above; central figure rendered with solemn dignity (not sensational), dead tree and earth hollow stylized; ancestral thread motif running through panels; rich reds and deep blues, ornate border with lotus and conch motifs, traditional iconographic restraint.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic yet grave forest edge under moonlight; delicate brushwork for the tree branches and rocky hollow; ancestors as translucent silhouettes behind the figure; cool palette with subtle vermillion accents; refined faces conveying warning without gore.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, strong contrasts; stylized dead tree and hollow; pitṛ figures in rhythmic repetition; śaṅkha-cakra symbols glowing above; dominant blues/reds with black contouring, temple-wall aesthetic borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic narrative with patterned night sky, lotus borders, and repeated ancestral-thread motifs; central warning scene framed by floral designs; deep indigo with gold highlights; peacocks minimized, emphasis on moral symbolism and intricate textile detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum roll","wind gust","single conch blast","forest night insects","sudden silence at the verdict phrase"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: IAST: kuryādātmanoghātaṃ = कुर्यात् + आत्मनः + घातम्; svavaṃśe unchanged; brahmahā lexical compound. Devanagari shows कोटरै (instrumental plural) as written.
FAQs
It condemns deliberate self-destruction (ātmaghāta) as a grave adharma, portraying it as a sin severe enough to be likened to brahmahatyā, with repercussions affecting one’s lineage.
In Purāṇic moral language, “brahmahatyā” functions as a benchmark for extreme sin. The verse uses this category to stress the seriousness of destroying one’s own life and its wider karmic and familial consequences.
No. This śloka is primarily a dharma-ethical warning about ātmaghāta and its karmic gravity, rather than a teaching on sacred geography (tīrthas) or devotional practice (bhakti).