Shloka 64
Protection of Brāhmaṇas
आख्यानं श्लोकमेकं वा गच्छंति विष्णुमंदिरम्
ākhyānaṃ ślokamekaṃ vā gacchaṃti viṣṇumaṃdiram
ഒരു ആഖ്യാനം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഒരു ശ്ലോകം മാത്രം പാരായണം ചെയ്താലും, അവൻ വിഷ്ണുമന്ദിരമായ വിഷ്ണുധാമം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।
Unspecified (narrative voice within Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Hari-kathā is intrinsically salvific; even a single verse can carry the listener toward Viṣṇu.
Application: Read or recite one Viṣṇu-śloka daily; keep a small ‘one-verse vrata’ (nitya-śloka) as a consistent anchor for conduct and remembrance.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lone pilgrim-scholar sits at the threshold of a luminous Viṣṇu temple, holding a palm-leaf manuscript open to a single śloka. As the verse is uttered, the temple doorway subtly transforms into a celestial gate, revealing Vaikuṇṭha’s distant radiance and a path of lotus petals forming beneath the reciter’s feet.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as distant Vaikuṇṭha presence)","a devotee-reciter","temple dvārapālas (subtle silhouettes)"],"setting":"Stone temple mandapa with oil lamps, tulasī planter near the steps, and a far-off glimpse of a celestial lotus-city beyond the doorway.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit merging into divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","antique gold","lamp-flame amber","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian Viṣṇu temple doorway opening into Vaikuṇṭha, the devotee reciting one śloka from a palm-leaf manuscript; heavy gold leaf halos, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on Viṣṇu’s distant icon, ornate arch (prabhāvali) with floral scrollwork, deep shadowed mandapa lit by rows of brass lamps.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate temple threshold scene with delicate linework; a calm devotee reading a single verse as a soft, misty Vaikuṇṭha vision appears beyond the doorway; cool blues and soft pinks, refined faces, gentle lotus motifs drifting in the air, lyrical minimalism and quiet devotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; the devotee seated near a tulasī pot, reciting; the doorway filled with stylized Vaikuṇṭha radiance and a serene Viṣṇu form; characteristic large eyes, warm reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall composition with symmetrical lamp stands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: lotus-laden border framing a temple gateway; the single śloka depicted as a scroll ribbon; Vaikuṇṭha suggested with lotus clusters, peacocks, and gold detailing; deep indigo background, intricate floral filigree, devotional stillness with celebratory ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low conch in the distance","oil-lamp crackle","gentle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्लोकमेकं = श्लोकम् + एकम्; गच्छंति = गच्छन्ति (अनुस्वार-लोप/लिप्यन्तर भेद)
FAQs
It states a phala-śruti: even engaging with a single sacred verse or narrative connected to Viṣṇu is said to lead one toward Viṣṇu’s abode—emphasizing the power of devotional hearing/recitation.
It can be read both ways: literally as a temple of Viṣṇu, and theologically as Viṣṇu’s divine abode (Vaikuṇṭha). In devotional literature, the phrase often carries the spiritual sense of ultimate refuge.
By asserting that even minimal devotional contact—one śloka or one sacred account—has transformative merit, it underscores accessibility and grace as central Bhakti themes.