Shloka 5
The Glory of the Mother-and-Father Sacred Ford
Mātāpitṛ-tīrtha-māhātmya
पितरौ विकलौ दीनौ वृद्धावेतौ गुरू सुतः । महागदेन संप्राप्तौ परित्यजति पापधीः
pitarau vikalau dīnau vṛddhāvetau gurū sutaḥ | mahāgadena saṃprāptau parityajati pāpadhīḥ
Apabila ibu bapa menjadi lemah, papa dan tua, serta ditimpa penyakit berat, maka anak yang berakal jahat meninggalkan mereka.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Abandoning aged, infirm parents—especially when struck by severe disease—is a mark of pāpa-buddhi and a direct violation of guru-like obligations to one’s elders.
Application: Do not outsource responsibility through indifference: ensure care plans, financial support, respectful companionship; cultivate gratitude as a spiritual discipline.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An aged couple, frail and bent with illness, sit at the threshold of a modest home, hands outstretched in silent plea. The son turns away with a hardened face, stepping into the bright street while the doorway behind him darkens—visually marking the eclipse of dharma.","primary_figures":["aged father","aged mother","callous son"],"setting":"village doorway and dusty lane; a neglected bedding mat, empty water pot, and scattered medicinal leaves hint at abandonment","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dust brown","ashen gray","faded saffron","dull maroon","cold blue shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral contrast tableau—aged parents in subdued tones at the doorstep, son turning away; ornate border but restrained gold used only to highlight the ‘lost’ sanctity of the home shrine, emphasizing adharma through compositional imbalance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poignant domestic realism—thin linework, expressive faces, muted palette; the son’s departing figure framed by a bright lane while parents remain in cool shadow, evoking karuṇa and ethical tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines; parents seated low, son angled away; symbolic dark band behind the son indicating pāpa-buddhi, with minimal ornamentation to keep the warning stark.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical panel—central doorway scene framed by withering lotus motifs and sparse tulasi border to suggest neglected devotion; deep blues and browns, intricate but somber floral work."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant crows","low drum (mridang)","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वृद्धावेतौ = वृद्धौ + एतौ; महागदेन = महा + गदेन (समास); पापधीः = पाप + धीः (समास).
FAQs
It condemns the cruelty of abandoning one’s aged and sick parents, presenting such neglect as a mark of sinful understanding (pāpa-dhī).
Yes. By portraying abandonment as wicked, it implicitly upholds caring for parents—especially in frailty and illness—as a core moral duty.
Only the parents (pitarau) and the son (sutaḥ) are mentioned; no specific deities or named sages appear in this śloka.