Shloka 78
Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
धरायामक्षयाऋद्धिर्जन्मजन्मसु जायते । सर्वतूर्यप्रदानेन गुणवान्लोकसंमतः
dharāyāmakṣayāṛddhirjanmajanmasu jāyate | sarvatūryapradānena guṇavānlokasaṃmataḥ
ഭൂമിയിൽ ജന്മജന്മാന്തരങ്ങളിൽ അക്ഷയ സമൃദ്ധി ഉദിക്കുന്നു; എല്ലാത്തരം തൂര്യവാദ്യങ്ങൾ ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ ഗുണവാനും ലോകസമ്മതനുമായിത്തീരും।
Unspecified (context not provided; verse presents a general phala-śruti on dāna)
Concept: Merit from generous giving yields enduring prosperity; supporting sacred/joyful arts (music) cultivates virtue and social esteem.
Application: Donate instruments or fund music education for devotional/community use; cultivate arts as service rather than vanity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A temple mandapa where devotees present a collection of instruments—veena, mridanga, conch, cymbals, and flutes—before a sanctum, while musicians begin a gentle kīrtana. In a second plane, the donor’s future is hinted: a prosperous household across lifetimes and a halo of public respect surrounding them.","primary_figures":["devotee donor","temple musicians","priest","Vishnu icon in sanctum (symbolic)"],"setting":"Lamp-lit temple hall with carved pillars, instrument offerings arranged on a cloth, garlands and incense smoke curling upward.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep indigo","brass gold","marigold orange","sandalwood beige","ruby red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ornate temple mandapa with Vishnu in the sanctum, devotees offering veena, mridanga, flute, cymbals; gold leaf on pillars and halos, rich reds/greens, jewel-like detailing, symmetrical composition, devotional musicians in the foreground.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate temple courtyard with musicians and donors, delicate instruments rendered with fine brushwork; cool twilight blues, soft lamplight, lyrical smoke trails; distant palace scene suggesting prosperity across births.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-lined musicians with mridanga and cymbals, offering instruments before a stylized Vishnu shrine; strong red-yellow-green palette, rhythmic ornamentation, large expressive eyes, flat yet majestic temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Krishna-centered kīrtana scene with instruments offered at the lotus feet; intricate floral borders, peacocks and cows at margins, deep blue ground with gold highlights, patterned textiles and garlands filling the space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["mridanga","cymbals","tanpura drone","temple bells","conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धरायामक्षयाऋद्धिः = धरायाम् + अक्षया + ऋद्धिः; जन्मजन्मसु treated as द्वन्द्व/पुनरुक्ति-समास; गुणवान्लोकसंमतः = गुणवान् + लोकसम्मतः (न् + ल → न्ल).
FAQs
It teaches that charitable giving—specifically donating musical instruments—yields lasting (akṣaya) prosperity and brings moral refinement and social respect.
No. This śloka is a general statement about the fruit (phala) of a particular form of dāna (gift-giving).
Generosity (dāna) is portrayed as a dharmic act that benefits both the giver’s future well-being and their present character and reputation.