Shloka 21
Prayāga’s Supremacy Among Tīrthas: Faith, Yoga, Charity, and the Ethics of Attainment
गामग्निं ब्राह्मणं शास्त्रं कांचनं सलिलं स्त्रियः । मातरं पितरं चैव यो निंदति नराधिप
gāmagniṃ brāhmaṇaṃ śāstraṃ kāṃcanaṃ salilaṃ striyaḥ | mātaraṃ pitaraṃ caiva yo niṃdati narādhipa
ഹേ നരാധിപാ! ഗാവ്, അഗ്നി, ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, ശാസ്ത്രം, സ്വർണം, ജലം, സ്ത്രീകൾ, കൂടാതെ മാതാപിതാക്കളെ നിന്ദിക്കുന്നവൻ—
Unspecified (narrator addressing a king: 'narādhipa')
Concept: Reviling foundational dharmic pillars—gau, agni, brāhmaṇa, śāstra, jalā, strī, and parents—constitutes grave adharma with severe karmic consequence.
Application: Practice speech-discipline: avoid contempt toward sacred persons/things; cultivate gratitude to parents/teachers; protect cows; treat women with dignity; keep fire/water pure and respected.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court scene where a sage-like narrator points to symbolic emblems arranged before the king: a gentle cow with a bell, a blazing sacred fire, a brāhmaṇa holding a manuscript, a golden vessel, a clear water pot, a dignified woman, and seated parents. The king’s face shows sober realization as the atmosphere tightens with moral gravity.","primary_figures":["a king (narādhipa)","a narrator/sage","cow (gau)","brāhmaṇa","mother and father"],"setting":"Court-hall transitioning into a didactic tableau of dharma-symbols; pillars carved with lotus and conch motifs.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","burnished gold","ivory white","smoky amber","lapis blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central king with folded hands, sage instructing; gold leaf flames of Agni, gem-like gold pot, cow with ornate caparison; brāhmaṇa with palm-leaf śāstra; parents seated on a small dais; thick ornamental borders and radiant halos.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court interior with delicate detailing; symbolic objects arranged like a moral still-life; soft reds and cool blues, refined expressions emphasizing restraint and reverence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic arrangement of dharma symbols—cow, Agni, brāhmaṇa, śāstra, water pot, woman, parents—rendered with bold outlines and flat pigment fields; the king listening in profile, warm ochres and greens.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotus and conch; central panel shows the cow and Agni flanked by brāhmaṇa and śāstra, with the king below; intricate floral filigree, deep indigo background with gold highlights."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple drum","crackling fire","conch shell (soft)","court ambience fading into silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गामग्निं = गाम् + अग्निम्; चैव = च + एव.
FAQs
It teaches restraint from slander and contempt toward revered supports of dharma—sacred beings (brāhmaṇas), sacred media (śāstra), and foundational relations (parents), along with culturally protected essentials like cow, fire, water, and women.
The verse places parents among the highest objects of reverence, implying that disrespect toward them is a grave moral fault comparable to dishonoring other pillars of religious and social order.
It specifically condemns nindā (reviling/derisive disparagement). Traditional readings distinguish malicious contempt from sincere inquiry or corrective instruction given with humility and dharmic intent.