Shloka 79
Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
वर्जयित्वा पुमान्मांसं व्रतांते गोप्रदो भवेत् । तद्वद्धेममृगं दद्यात्सोश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
varjayitvā pumānmāṃsaṃ vratāṃte goprado bhavet | tadvaddhemamṛgaṃ dadyātsośvamedhaphalaṃ labhet
മാംസം വെടിഞ്ഞ് വ്രതാന്തത്തിൽ ഗാവിനെ ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്ന പുരുഷൻ ഗോദാനദാതാവാകുന്നു. അതുപോലെ സ്വർണമൃഗം ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ അവൻ അശ്വമേധയാഗസമമായ പുണ്യഫലം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified (narratorial injunction within the Adhyaya; exact dialogue speaker not provided in the input).
Concept: Ahimsā through abstaining from meat, combined with go-dāna at vow’s end, elevates one into a sustained giver; offering a golden deer yields merit equated with Aśvamedha—transforming costly Vedic sacrifice into symbolic dāna and restraint.
Application: Adopt periodic or permanent meat-abstinence as a vow; conclude spiritual commitments with tangible compassion—supporting cow care, food programs, or equivalent charitable giving; treat symbolic offerings (like funding a dharmic cause) as modern ‘golden deer’ substitutes.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee stands before a small Viṣṇu shrine, hands folded, while a simple meal of grains and fruits indicates his meat-abstinence vow. At the vow’s conclusion, he leads a garlanded cow toward a brāhmaṇa and presents a finely crafted golden deer figurine on a red cloth—its polished surface reflecting lamp flames—suggesting ‘aśvamedha-like’ merit through compassion and symbolic offering.","primary_figures":["a devotee observing abstinence","a brāhmaṇa recipient","a cow (go-dāna)","Vishnu (as shrine icon)"],"setting":"temple courtyard or household shrine space with donation area, lamps, and offering trays","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm lamp gold","cowhide brown","sandalwood beige","ruby red","peacock green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu shrine with gold-leaf arch; devotee offering go-dāna and a gleaming hiraṇya-mṛga figurine on crimson cloth to a brāhmaṇa; ornate jewelry, rich reds and greens, gem-studded borders, gold leaf highlights emphasizing the deer and haloed shrine.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle courtyard scene with refined figures; the cow adorned with marigold garlands, the golden deer figurine rendered with delicate highlights; a simple sāttvika meal set aside to signify abstinence; soft natural palette, lyrical trees and distant hills.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined donor, brāhmaṇa, cow, and stylized golden deer; symmetrical composition with lamp motifs and Viṣṇu emblem; traditional pigment reds/yellows/greens with black outlines, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central donation scene framed by lotus and floral borders; cows prominently featured, peacocks near offering trays; deep blue background with gold accents highlighting the golden deer; intricate textile patterns and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","low conch","cow bells","soft footsteps on stone","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुमान्मांसम् = पुमान् + मांसम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि); दद्यात्सः = दद्यात् + सः; सोऽश्वमेधफलम् = सः + अश्वमेधफलम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
FAQs
It emphasizes completing a vow (vrata) with ethical restraint (abstaining from meat) and concluding with charitable giving (dāna), especially go-dāna (gift of a cow) and hema-mṛga-dāna (gift of a golden deer).
It states that gifting a golden deer yields merit comparable to the Aśvamedha, presenting dāna as an accessible substitute or equivalent path to great ritual merit.
The verse links personal discipline (non-meat eating/ahiṁsā-oriented restraint) with generosity, teaching that vows should culminate in compassionate conduct and tangible support to others through gifts.