Shloka 34
Rāma’s Meeting with Agastya: Gift-Ethics (Dāna) and the Tale of King Śveta
कुर्वन्न दोषमाप्नोति मनुरेवात्र कारणम् । वृद्धौ च मातापितरौ साध्वी भार्या शिशुः सुतः
kurvanna doṣamāpnoti manurevātra kāraṇam | vṛddhau ca mātāpitarau sādhvī bhāryā śiśuḥ sutaḥ
ഇങ്ങനെ ചെയ്താൽ ദോഷം ഉണ്ടാകില്ല—ഇവിടെ മനുവാണ് പ്രമാണം. പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് വൃദ്ധ മാതാപിതാക്കളെയും സദ്ഗുണവതിയായ ഭാര്യയെയും, സ്വന്തം ശിശുവിനെയും പുത്രനെയും യഥാശക്തി പോഷിച്ചു സംരക്ഷിക്കണം.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses in Adhyaya 36).
Concept: Śāstra-pramāṇa: Manu is cited as authority that accepting support for protecting dependents (aged parents, virtuous wife, children) is not blameworthy.
Application: Prioritize care for vulnerable family members; when resources are needed for their protection, seek lawful, ethical means without paralyzing guilt.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The sage cites Manu with calm certainty, as if opening a lawbook of dharma, while the troubled listener’s face softens into relief. Behind them, symbolic figures—aged parents, a chaste wife, and small children—appear like a moral mandala of those whom dharma commands one to protect.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇa sage","kṣatriya/householder listener","aged mother","aged father","virtuous wife","infant child","young son"],"setting":"Hermitage teaching space with palm-leaf manuscripts, a small fire altar, and a protective circle of family figures rendered as symbolic vignettes.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["gold leaf","lotus pink","emerald green","royal blue","cream white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the sage holds a palm-leaf manuscript labeled ‘Manu’ (symbolic), right hand in teaching gesture; the listener sits respectfully; behind, a haloed tableau of aged parents, a sādhvī wife, and children; heavy gold leaf radiance, rich reds/greens, gem-like ornamentation, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate teaching scene with manuscript and gentle gestures; family figures appear as soft, cloud-like symbolic panels; cool refined palette with warm highlights; delicate brushwork, lyrical composition, Himalayan-like distant hills for serenity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; manuscript motif; family protection tableau in a circular mandala arrangement; strong red/yellow/green with blue background; temple-wall didactic clarity and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central guru-disciple dharma scene framed by lotus borders; family-protection icons arranged like floral medallions; deep indigo cloth with gold and pink lotuses, intricate vines, devotional didacticism akin to a moral pichwai."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell (soft)","steady tanpura drone (imagined)","crackle of sacred fire"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kurvanna→kurvan na; doṣamāpnoti→doṣam āpnoti; manurevātra→manuḥ eva atra.
FAQs
The verse treats Manu as the foundational lawgiver for dharma, implying that the action being discussed is validated by Manu’s dharma-śāstra authority and therefore is not considered blameworthy.
It emphasizes responsibility toward dependents and family members—especially elderly parents, a virtuous spouse, and vulnerable children—framing such care as a dharmic priority.
The verse aligns with the gṛhastha ideal by prioritizing protection, support, and moral responsibility within the family unit, presenting these as central duties rather than optional virtues.