Shloka 35
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
पिशुनो यस्तु विप्राणां रंध्रान्वेषणतत्परः । तं दृष्ट्वाप्यथवा स्पृष्ट्वा सचेलो जलमाविशेत्
piśuno yastu viprāṇāṃ raṃdhrānveṣaṇatatparaḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvāpyathavā spṛṣṭvā sacelo jalamāviśet
ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ ദോഷങ്ങൾ തേടുന്നതിൽ തൽപരനായ നിന്ദകനെയെ കണ്ടാലും സ്പർശിച്ചാലും, ശുദ്ധിക്കായി വസ്ത്രസഹിതം ജലത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കണം।
Unspecified (narrative injunction in the chapter context)
Concept: Slandering brāhmaṇas (fault-finding, pīśunatā) is a contaminating speech-act; one should avoid contact and perform immediate purification.
Application: Do not indulge in gossip about teachers, elders, or sincere practitioners; if drawn into it, disengage, seek inner correction, and adopt a ‘speech fast’ (mauna) or mantra-japa as practical śuddhi.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a quiet river ghat, a traveler recoils after brushing past a whispering slanderer whose face is half-hidden, then steps into the water fully clothed, hands folded in a quick prayer for inner cleansing. Ripples spread outward like the restoration of social harmony, while a small shrine lamp flickers on the steps.","primary_figures":["A traveler/devotee (symbolic)","A slanderer (pīśuna)","A ghat-side shrine deity emblem (Viṣṇu/Śālagrāma or a simple lamp)"],"setting":"Stone steps of a river ghat with a small niche-shrine, banyan shade, and a path leading to a village.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river jade","sandstone beige","saffron gold","leaf green","lamp-flame amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ghat steps with ornate border, a devotee entering water in wet garments, hands in añjali; small shrine with gold leaf lamp and subtle Viṣṇu symbols; rich reds/greens in textiles, gold embossing on shrine arch, stylized water with shimmering gold highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical dawn at a river ghat, delicate ripples, soft mist; the devotee’s modest gesture of purification, the slanderer rendered as a muted figure in the background; cool greens and pale golds, refined facial expressions, gentle naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; devotee stepping into stylized water bands, garments indicated with patterned blocks; shrine lamp with bright yellow-red; expressive eyes and clear gesture language; temple-wall composition with decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: river ghat scene framed by lotus and tulasi garlands; patterned water, decorative birds along the border; central devotee in añjali entering water; deep blue-green background with gold accents, intricate floral motifs emphasizing purification."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","morning birds","soft bell from ghat shrine","gentle ankle-bell chime"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यस्तु = यः + तु; रंध्रान्वेषणतत्परः = रन्ध्र + अन्वेषण + तत्परः (समास); दृष्ट्वापि = दृष्ट्वा + अपि; जलमाविशेत् = जलम् + आविशेत्.
FAQs
It condemns slander and fault-finding—especially directed at brāhmaṇas—and treats such association as spiritually contaminating, requiring purification.
It indicates an immediate, formal act of purification (śauca) after contact—by sight or touch—with a person characterized as a malicious backbiter.
The wording specifically mentions brāhmaṇas (viprāṇām), but the broader dharmic principle discourages malicious speech and obsessive fault-hunting toward any virtuous or respected person.