Shloka 66
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
यजते दानपुण्यैश्च तस्य दानस्य यत्फलम् । वाराणस्यां च गंगायां यत्फलं न च पुष्करे
yajate dānapuṇyaiśca tasya dānasya yatphalam | vārāṇasyāṃ ca gaṃgāyāṃ yatphalaṃ na ca puṣkare
Apa jua buah yang lahir daripada pemujaan dan daripada dāna yang berpahala—buah itulah juga diperoleh di Vārāṇasī di tebing Gaṅgā, dan (sebandingnya) tidak di Puṣkara.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed to attribute; commonly framed within Purāṇic dialogue narration)
Concept: Kṣetra-māhātmya: the sanctity of place can concentrate and amplify the fruit of worship and charity beyond ordinary performance.
Application: Treat pilgrimage and sacred bathing as intentional spiritual practice: pair dāna and japa with humility, truthfulness, and service; even at home, recreate tīrtha-mindset by dedicating gifts to Nārāyaṇa and remembering Gaṅgā/Kāśī.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On the broad stone ghāṭs of Vārāṇasī at dawn, pilgrims offer lamps and handfuls of flowers to the flowing Gaṅgā while a saffron-robed priest blesses gifts laid on a lotus-leaf tray. In the distance, temple spires rise through incense haze, suggesting that a single act of dāna here equals vast sacrifices elsewhere.","primary_figures":["Gaṅgā-devī (symbolic presence)","pilgrims performing dāna","a Vaiṣṇava priest with tilaka"],"setting":"Vārāṇasī ghāṭs on the Gaṅgā, steps, boats, temple skyline, incense and lamp offerings","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron orange","river jade-green","lamp-flame gold","stone ash-gray","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vārāṇasī Gaṅgā-ghāṭ at sunrise with a central Vaiṣṇava priest offering a golden lamp and receiving dāna on a lotus-leaf plate; Gaṅgā rendered as a divine feminine aura above the river; heavy gold leaf on temple spires, lamp halos, and jewelry; rich vermilion and emerald textiles; ornate borders with lotus and conch motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical Gaṅgā riverbank at Kāśī with delicate figures on stepped ghāṭs, soft mist over water, slender temple silhouettes; cool yet luminous palette, refined faces, fine linework; small boats and floating diyas; subtle depiction of merit as a faint golden glow around the act of giving.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined Gaṅgā-ghāṭ tableau with stylized river waves, large expressive eyes on the priest and devotees, flat temple architecture; natural pigment reds/yellows/greens; a symbolic Gaṅgā-devī halo above the river; decorative lotus and śaṅkha patterns framing the scene.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Gaṅgā at Kāśī as a lotus-filled river with intricate floral borders; central devotional act of dāna offered to a small Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) near the water; peacocks and cows along the ghāṭ steps; deep indigo background with gold highlights and repeating lotus motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell","soft crowd murmur","incense crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानपुण्यैश्च = दानपुण्यैः + च; यत्फलम् = यत् + फलम्; वाराणस्यां = वाराणसी + आम् (loc. sg.); गंगायां = गङ्गा + आम्.
FAQs
It elevates Vārāṇasī on the Gaṅgā as a place where the fruits of worship and charity are especially accessible, presenting Puṣkara as comparatively unable to confer that same result in this context.
It teaches tīrtha-māhātmya: the idea that certain sacred geographies amplify the spiritual “fruit” (phala) of acts like worship (yajña/arcana) and charity (dāna).
Charity remains a meritorious act (puṇya) whose results are affirmed; the verse further suggests that performing such virtues in highly revered settings is considered especially efficacious.