Shloka 47
Karmic Causality, Fate, and the Supremacy of Food-Charity
within Guru-tīrtha Glorification
श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे दत्तस्यांतो न विद्यते । श्रद्धा धर्मसुता देवी पावनी विश्वतारिणी
śraddhayā vidhivatpātre dattasyāṃto na vidyate | śraddhā dharmasutā devī pāvanī viśvatāriṇī
Sedekah yang diberikan dengan śraddhā, menurut tatacara yang benar, kepada penerima yang layak, tiada bertepi pahalanya. Śraddhā ialah Dewi, puteri Dharma—yang menyucikan dan menyelamatkan seluruh alam.
Unknown (narrative voice not specified in the provided excerpt; commonly transmitted within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Śraddhā (faithful intent) makes a properly given gift inexhaustible in merit; faith itself is a purifying divine power.
Application: Before giving, cultivate right intention: offer respectfully, verify worthiness/need, and give without self-advertisement; add a brief prayer dedicating the act to Narayana.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śraddhā appears as a luminous देवी, emerging like a gentle aurora above a sacrificial altar, while a donor places a gift into the hands of a worthy recipient with folded palms. The merit is visualized as an endless stream of light rising upward, suggesting ‘no end’ to the fruit of faithful giving.","primary_figures":["Śraddhā-devī (personified)","a donor (gṛhastha or king)","a worthy recipient (brāhmaṇa/sage)"],"setting":"sacred courtyard with yajña-kuṇḍa, kusa grass, water pot, and offering vessels; subtle Vishnu symbols on banners","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ivory white","lotus pink","radiant gold","sky blue","soft vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śraddhā-devī with gold halo and ornate crown hovering above a yajña altar; a donor respectfully offering gifts to a serene sage; heavy gold leaf embellishment on jewelry and aura, rich reds/greens, traditional iconography, intricate temple arch framing the scene, visual stream of golden merit rising upward.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate, lyrical scene of giving; Śraddhā as a graceful celestial woman in pale garments; refined faces, soft gradients, flowering trees and a small shrine; the ‘endless merit’ shown as a ribbon of light curling into the sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Śraddhā-devī front-facing with large expressive eyes, bold outlines; altar and donor-recipient gesture simplified into iconic forms; warm red/yellow/green pigments, rhythmic patterns, sacred calm.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of a glowing Śraddhā-devī above lotus patterns; below, symmetrical donors offering to sages; ornate floral borders, gold highlights, peacocks and lamps; subtle Vishnu conch-disc motifs woven into the textile design."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","tanpura drone","soft conch","crackling yajña fire"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दत्तस्यांतो = दत्तस्य + अन्तः (सन्धि: अ + अ → आ; लिखितरूपे ‘स्यां’).
FAQs
It teaches that charity offered with sincere faith, performed properly, and given to a worthy recipient yields merit without limit.
Śraddhā is personified as a देवी (goddess), described as Dharmasutā—“the daughter of Dharma”—and praised as purifying and world-saving.
It emphasizes intention and discernment: give with faith, follow right conduct, and choose a deserving recipient so that the act becomes spiritually transformative.