Shloka 27
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
लब्धं ते पुष्करिण्याश्च पुण्यं लाभात्प्रमन्यसे । शक्त्या दत्वाथ मूल्यं तां स्वीयां कर्तुं व्यवस्थितः
labdhaṃ te puṣkariṇyāśca puṇyaṃ lābhātpramanyase | śaktyā datvātha mūlyaṃ tāṃ svīyāṃ kartuṃ vyavasthitaḥ
പുഷ്കരിണിയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട പുണ്യം നീ ലാഭമായി ലഭിച്ചതെന്നു കരുതുന്നു; ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് വില നൽകി അതിനെ സ്വന്തമാക്കാൻ നീ തീരുമാനിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator/speaker in Adhyaya 57)
Concept: Tirtha-merit is not a tradable asset; sacredness is accessed through reverence, right conduct, and proper giving—not ownership claims.
Application: Approach temples and sacred waters as trusteeship and service, not possession; give for upkeep without claiming spiritual monopoly.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the edge of a lotus-filled sacred pond, a stern speaker points toward the water while admonishing a man who clutches a deed-scroll and coin pouch. The pond’s serenity contrasts with the sharpness of the rebuke, as pilgrims in the background offer water with folded hands.","primary_figures":["admonishing speaker","would-be purchaser","pilgrims"],"setting":"Stone steps (ghat) descending into a puṣkariṇī with blooming lotuses, a small shrine bell, and a banyan casting shade; a scribe’s palm-leaf or scroll suggests ‘purchase/ownership’.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","jade green","stone gray","saffron ochre","river-blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sacred puṣkariṇī with lotus blooms and stepped ghat; a sage-like figure rebukes a proud buyer holding a scroll and coins; gold leaf on lotus petals and shrine ornaments, rich reds/greens, stylized water patterns, devotional yet morally charged composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil pond with delicate lotuses; a pointed gesture of admonition, subtle facial expressions; cool greens and blues, refined brushwork, banyan and distant pilgrims; emphasis on contrast between serenity of tirtha and human greed.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized pond with lotus motifs; speaker’s raised hand in instructive mudra; warm pigment palette, temple-step geometry, expressive eyes conveying rebuke and pride.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: lotus-heavy composition with ornate floral borders; central pond as sacred mandala; figures at the ghat—one offering water, one clutching coins; deep blues and gold, intricate lotuses symbolizing purity beyond purchase."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bell","morning birds","footsteps on stone steps"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: lābhātpramanyase = lābhāt + pramanyase; śaktyā datvātha = śaktyā + datvā + atha; (no other mandatory sandhi splits).
FAQs
It critiques the mindset of equating sacred merit (puṇya) with personal profit and then attempting to claim a sacred place as private ownership by paying a price.
The implied lesson is that spiritual merit is not a commodity; sacred benefits should not be reduced to financial gain or ownership claims.
The verse uses the term puṣkariṇī (a pond/sacred tank). Without additional surrounding verses, it is safest to treat it as generic rather than definitively identifying it with Pushkar.