Shloka 23
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits
धेनूनां च शतं प्राज्ञैर्दातव्यं यज्ञसिद्धये । अष्टौ तु यज्ञवाहानां चत्वारिंशाधिकास्तथा
dhenūnāṃ ca śataṃ prājñairdātavyaṃ yajñasiddhaye | aṣṭau tu yajñavāhānāṃ catvāriṃśādhikāstathā
യജ്ഞസിദ്ധിക്കായി ജ്ഞാനികൾ നൂറ് പാലുതരുന്ന പശുക്കൾ ദാനം ചെയ്യണം. അതുപോലെ യജ്ഞവാഹനങ്ങൾക്കായി അഷ്ടചത്വാരിംശത്, അഥവാ നാല്പത്തെട്ട് ദാനം ചെയ്യണം.
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 34)
Concept: Yajña attains siddhi (successful completion) when accompanied by proportionate dāna; ritual action is sealed by generosity.
Application: Treat any ‘sacred project’ (worship, service, vows) as incomplete without sharing resources—set aside a fixed portion for charity and support of those who sustain dharma.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast yajña-śālā with a blazing śrauta fire at the center, priests chanting while attendants lead a serene herd of milch-cows adorned with garlands and vermilion marks. The yajamāna stands with folded hands, offering the cows as dakṣiṇā; nearby are pack-animals bearing ritual vessels, symbolizing the ‘yajña-vāhana’ allotment.","primary_figures":["yajamāna (sacrificer)","ṛtviks (hotṛ, adhvaryu, udgātṛ, brahman)","attendants leading milch-cows","members of the sadas (assembly)"],"setting":"Vedic sacrificial enclosure with kuśa grass, altars, ladles, soma vessels, and orderly lines of gifted cattle and pack-animals at the perimeter.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","smoke-gray","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a grand yajña-śālā with the central sacred fire rendered in thick gold leaf, the yajamāna offering garlanded milch-cows as dakṣiṇā; priests in white with red borders, gem-studded ornaments on the cows’ harnesses, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate arch-like framing, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical sacrificial courtyard with delicate linework, soft hills in the distance, priests seated in a semicircle, a calm herd of cows with floral garlands, cool yet luminous palette, refined faces, detailed ritual implements, gentle atmospheric perspective.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the yajña fire as a stylized lotus-flame, priests with characteristic large eyes, cows in rhythmic procession, red-yellow-green dominant palette, temple-wall aesthetic with decorative borders of vines and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional composition where the yajña becomes a lotus-filled mandala; ornate floral borders, cows and peacocks at the edges, deep indigo background with gold highlights, ritual vessels and tulip-like flames stylized, intricate textile patterns emphasizing abundance and sacred giving."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low Vedic chant drone","crackling sacrificial fire","soft cow-bells","wooden ladle taps","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राज्ञैः + दातव्यम् → प्राज्ञैर्दातव्यम्
FAQs
It emphasizes ritual-supporting charity: donating milch-cows and providing (or gifting) animals/resources connected with transporting or supporting the sacrifice, as a means to ensure yajña-siddhi (successful completion).
In Purāṇic dharma literature, cows symbolize sustenance and sacred prosperity; donating milch-cows is presented as a high form of dāna that supports priests, guests, and the sacrificial community, thereby strengthening the sacrifice’s intended fruition.
The verse links spiritual practice with responsibility: a sacrifice is not only an offering into fire but also a social and ethical act that includes generosity, provisioning, and care for those involved.