Shloka 49
The Supremacy of Food-Charity and the Rāma–Śambūka Episode
Child Revived through Rājadharma
तस्मिन्द्वापरसंज्ञे तु तपो वैश्यं समाविशत् । युगत्रयस्य वैधर्म्यं धर्मस्य प्रतितिष्ठति
tasmindvāparasaṃjñe tu tapo vaiśyaṃ samāviśat | yugatrayasya vaidharmyaṃ dharmasya pratitiṣṭhati
ദ്വാപരമെന്ന ആ യുഗത്തിൽ വൈശ്യവർണ്ണത്തിൽ തപസ്സ് പ്രവേശിച്ചു. ഇങ്ങനെ മൂന്നു യുഗങ്ങളുടെ വ്യത്യസ്ത ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ സ്ഥിരമായ മാതൃകയായി സ്ഥാപിതമായി.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within Padma Purāṇa, Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: In Dvāpara, tapas becomes prominent among Vaiśyas; the distinct dharmas of the three yugas settle into an established pattern.
Application: Honor diverse spiritual temperaments: some serve through disciplined work and charity (vaiśya-like tapas), others through study or protection; choose a sustainable austerity—ethical earning, honest trade, regular giving—as spiritual practice.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Dvāpara-age marketplace becomes a sacred stage: merchants weigh grains and cloth with meticulous honesty, offering a portion to a small shrine of Vishnu at the shopfront. The austerity is shown not as forest penance but as disciplined livelihood—measured scales, restrained speech, and charity—while a subtle celestial script above marks ‘yuga-dharma’ as an established law.","primary_figures":["Vaiśya householders/merchants (symbolic)","Vishnu (small shrine icon or vision)","attendants/customers (supporting figures)"],"setting":"Bustling bazaar street with shopfront shrine, oil lamps, hanging garlands, and orderly rows of goods.","lighting_mood":"golden dusk","color_palette":["burnished bronze","turmeric yellow","deep teal","marigold orange","cream white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ornate shopfront Vishnu shrine with gold leaf halo, merchants in rich textiles offering coins and grains; embossed gold borders, jewel-toned reds/greens, ritual lamps and garlands; emphasis on sacredness of honest trade as tapas.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: detailed bazaar scene with delicate figures and refined architecture; soft dusk sky, gentle shadows; a small Vishnu shrine glowing warmly, subtle narrative of charity and restraint, cool-teal and warm-ochre balance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized market with bold outlines, rhythmic arrangement of goods; central Vishnu icon with large eyes and ornate crown; strong reds/yellows/greens; the idea of tapas conveyed through disciplined posture and symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Vishnu shrine framed by lotus borders; merchants offering heaps of grain and flowers; intricate floral and paisley patterns, deep blue background with gold highlights; cows and peacocks at margins to suggest prosperity sanctified by devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft hand cymbals","market ambience subdued","temple bell at shrine","even tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मिन्द्वापरसंज्ञे = तस्मिन् + द्वापरसंज्ञे.
FAQs
It states that in Dvāpara-yuga, the quality of tapas (austerity/discipline) is especially associated with the Vaiśya class, illustrating how dharma’s emphasis shifts across the yugas.
It refers to the differing norms and dominant qualities of dharma across the three yugas being discussed (commonly Kṛta, Tretā, and Dvāpara), showing that dharma is not uniform in every age.
The verse highlights that spiritual discipline and responsibility are not confined to one group or time; dharma adapts to context, and each community is expected to uphold virtue in the form appropriate to its age and role.