Shloka 34
The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship
दानं दद्याद्यथाशक्त्या प्रीयेतां हरिशंकरौ । शुक्लतीर्थप्रभावेण सर्वं भवति चाक्षयम्
dānaṃ dadyādyathāśaktyā prīyetāṃ hariśaṃkarau | śuklatīrthaprabhāveṇa sarvaṃ bhavati cākṣayam
ശക്തിയനുസരിച്ച് ദാനം നൽകണം, ഹരിയും ശങ്കരനും പ്രസന്നരാകുവാൻ. ശുക്ലതീർത്ഥത്തിന്റെ പ്രഭാവത്താൽ അവിടെ ചെയ്തതെല്ലാം അക്ഷയമാകുന്നു।
Unknown (narrative voice not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Charity offered according to capacity at a potent tīrtha becomes inexhaustible; pleasing Hari and Śaṅkara harmonizes sectarian devotion through dharmic giving.
Application: Give regularly within your means; choose sacred contexts (temple, pilgrimage, service to sādhus) and dedicate the act to God—consistency over display.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At Śukla Tīrtha’s bright, sand-banked ford, pilgrims line the steps with water pots and offerings. A donor places gifts into a brāhmaṇa’s hands before a small shrine where Hari and Śaṅkara are symbolically present—one as a blue, four-armed icon, the other as a serene liṅga—while the air shimmers as if the very place turns deeds into ‘akṣaya’.","primary_figures":["a donor","brāhmaṇa recipient","Hari (Vishnu) icon","Śaṅkara (Shiva) icon"],"setting":"River/ford ghat at Śukla Tīrtha with a twin-shrine niche, offering platforms, and pilgrims performing dāna","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["chalk white","lapis blue","vermillion","antique gold","river green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śukla Tīrtha ghat with Vishnu and Shiva icons side-by-side; donor offering dāna to a brāhmaṇa; heavy gold leaf on crowns, halos, and shrine arches; rich reds/greens, jewel-like detailing, embossed textures emphasizing ‘akṣaya’ radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant riverside scene with pale sands and clear water; subtle depiction of Vishnu and Shiva shrines; delicate gestures of giving, refined faces, soft atmospheric light, cool palette with restrained gold accents and lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghat and shrine panels; Vishnu and Shiva rendered with bold outlines and iconic eyes; donor and brāhmaṇa in profile; warm earthy pigments, rhythmic patterns, temple-wall composition with symbolic radiance around the tīrtha.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotuses and sacred symbols; central ghat with symmetrical lamps and kalashas; Vishnu-centered emphasis with Shiva respectfully included; deep blues and gold, intricate floral filigree suggesting inexhaustible abundance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","coin/bracelet clinks","conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दद्याद्यथाशक्त्या = दद्यात् + यथाशक्त्या; चाक्षयम् = च + अक्षयम्
FAQs
It advises giving charity (dāna) according to one’s means, emphasizing sincere offering rather than quantity.
The verse presents a harmonizing devotional frame where pleasing both Viṣṇu (Hari) and Śiva (Śaṅkara) is upheld as a worthy aim, especially through ethical acts like charity.
It teaches proportionate giving—charity should be responsible and heartfelt, aligned with one’s actual ability, avoiding both miserliness and self-harm.