Shloka 88
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
न पालयंति यत्नेन ते जना नारकाः स्मृताः । वृषाणां वृषणौ ये च पापिष्ठा घातयंति च
na pālayaṃti yatnena te janā nārakāḥ smṛtāḥ | vṛṣāṇāṃ vṛṣaṇau ye ca pāpiṣṭhā ghātayaṃti ca
ಅವುಗಳನ್ನು ಯತ್ನಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ರಕ್ಷಿಸದವರು ನರಕಗಾಮಿಗಳೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ; ಮತ್ತು ಎತ್ತುಗಳ ವೃಷಣಗಳನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸುವವರು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಪಾಪಿಗಳು।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 67; commonly framed as a narrator/teacher voice in dialogue)
Concept: Failure to protect (especially cattle/bulls) is gravely sinful; mutilation of bulls is among the worst acts, leading to hellish destiny.
Application: Practice and support humane animal care; oppose cruelty and mutilation; ensure ethical husbandry and compassionate livelihoods; cultivate reverence for life.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A powerful moral scene: a protective cowherd stands between a terrified bull and a cruel butcher, raising a hand in prohibition as if invoking dharma itself. Behind them, a faint vision of Naraka—dark flames and iron gates—appears like a warning mirage, while a small Viṣṇu emblem (chakra) glows above as the guardian principle.","primary_figures":["bull (vṛṣa)","protective cowherd/guardian","cruel butcher (symbolic)","personified Dharma (subtle)"],"setting":"edge of a cattle pen near fields; distant temple flag; warning-vision of Naraka in the sky/background","lighting_mood":"storm-lit with a sudden shaft of divine radiance","color_palette":["midnight black","iron gray","blood red (minimal)","saffron-gold","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central dharma-guardian figure with gold leaf aura, a bull rendered with sacred dignity, a subdued antagonist; gold leaf used for the chakra motif and temple elements; rich reds/greens, ornate lotus border, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined, non-gory moral drama—slender figures, expressive gestures, cool mountain-like palette; a bull sheltered by a guardian; distant shrine and fluttering flag; the Naraka warning shown as a faint cloud-vision rather than explicit horror.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic stance of the protector, stylized bull with large eyes; background shows symbolic iron gates and flames; strong red/yellow/green blocks with deep black contours, temple-wall gravitas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: cow/bull-centered devotional frame with ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; central protective act as dharma-seva; deep blue background with gold highlights; include subtle Viṣṇu symbols (chakra, conch) and gentle cows in the periphery to emphasize go-rakṣā."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell (short)","sharp bell strikes","distant thunder","cattle bells"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major external sandhi in pādas; verse 1 has straightforward word boundaries.
FAQs
It condemns negligence in protection and explicitly denounces severe cruelty to bulls, presenting such acts as grave adharma with hellish consequences.
In Purāṇic dharma discourse, bulls/cattle are closely tied to agrarian livelihood and ritual economy; harming them is treated as a serious social and moral violation.
Actively safeguard dependents under one’s care and avoid any form of cruel, exploitative violence—especially acts that permanently injure living beings.