Shloka 55
The Glory of Gayā and the Pilgrimage Circuit of Allied Tīrthas
कन्यायां ये प्रयच्छंति दानमण्वपि भारत । तदक्षयमिति प्राहुरृषयः संशितव्रताः
kanyāyāṃ ye prayacchaṃti dānamaṇvapi bhārata | tadakṣayamiti prāhurṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ
ഹേ ഭാരതാ! കന്യയെ സംബന്ധിച്ച് ആരെങ്കിലും അണുമാത്രം പോലും ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ, അത് അക്ഷയമാണെന്ന് ദൃഢവ്രതികളായ ഋഷിമാർ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (addressing 'Bhārata')
Concept: Even a small gift, when offered in a sanctified context and to a worthy recipient, becomes akṣaya (imperishable) through dharmic intention.
Application: Give consistently, even in small amounts; prioritize purity of intent, respect for the recipient, and alignment with dharma over display or quantity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A humble donor offers a tiny gift—perhaps a single coin, cloth, or handful of grains—before a maiden associated with a vow, while austere sages look on approvingly. The gift glows subtly, symbolizing akṣaya merit, as the scene emphasizes sincerity over wealth: calm faces, clean hands, and a quiet sacred setting.","primary_figures":["humble donor","kanyā (vow-associated maiden)","ṛṣis with disciplined vows"],"setting":"Courtyard of a small tīrtha-shrine or hermitage with a donation platform, water pot, and sacred thread motifs","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","clay brown","white cotton","pomegranate red","sage green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central act of dāna—donor offering a small shining token to a kanyā seated respectfully, sages behind with gold halos, ornate arch and lamp stands, rich reds/greens, heavy gold leaf on halos and borders, gem-like highlights on the ‘akṣaya’ gift to show imperishable merit.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate moral scene with delicate expressions, the tiny gift emphasized by fine detailing, sages in the background with calm approving gestures, soft dawn wash, restrained palette, lyrical trees and a small shrine, focus on humility and purity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, donor and kanyā in profile exchange, sages frontal with large eyes, stylized glow around the small gift, saturated reds/yellows/greens, decorative border patterns like temple wall art.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with floral borders, the small gift rendered as a bright golden motif at center, attendants with lamps, lotus and creeper patterns, deep blue or maroon ground with gold highlights, devotional emphasis on auspicious giving."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft bell","low chanting","rustle of cloth","water pot pour","quiet assembly murmur"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रयच्छंति = प्रयच्छन्ति; दानमण्वपि = दानम् अणु अपि; तदक्षयमिति = तत् अक्षयम् इति; प्राहुरृषयः = प्राहुः ऋषयः
FAQs
It teaches that even a very small act of giving associated with a maiden is considered akṣaya—producing inexhaustible spiritual merit—according to disciplined sages.
Akṣaya means imperishable or inexhaustible, indicating that the merit (puṇya) from such a gift does not diminish and continues to bear beneficial results.
The verse emphasizes generosity and reverence in socially and ritually significant contexts, highlighting that sincerity in giving matters more than the size of the gift.