Shloka 20
Protection of Brāhmaṇas
सुवर्णानां चतुर्लक्षं ब्रह्मन्नय समाहितः । सुखेन यदि दातव्यो नो पुत्रः पुत्रलालसात्
suvarṇānāṃ caturlakṣaṃ brahmannaya samāhitaḥ | sukhena yadi dātavyo no putraḥ putralālasāt
Wahai Brahmana, dengan jiwa yang tenang dan terhimpun, bawalah empat laksa emas. Hendaklah ia diberikan dengan rela dan lapang—bukan kerana ketagihan menginginkan seorang putera.
Uncertain (context not provided; likely an instructing sage/priest addressing a Brāhmaṇa/ritual agent within a donation/rite discussion)
Concept: Dāna must be given with composure and willingness, not as a bargain fueled by craving (putra-lālasā) or fear; intention shapes the spiritual quality of giving.
Application: When donating or performing rituals, examine motive—avoid transactional spirituality; give calmly, within means, and without manipulating outcomes.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a pillared hall, a priestly figure holds a palm-leaf ledger while attendants weigh heaps of gold on a balance. The brāhmaṇa stands rigid, eyes lowered in forced composure, while behind him a mother clutches her garment—wealth glittering coldly against human anguish.","primary_figures":["a brāhmaṇa addressed as 'brahman'","ritual advisor/priest","gold-weighing attendants","brāhmaṇa’s family in the background"],"setting":"royal treasury-adjacent ritual hall with scales, gold stacks, palm-leaf records","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit with harsh metallic gleam","color_palette":["antique gold","lamp amber","deep umber","ivory","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: opulent interior with gold leaf emphasis on stacked suvarṇa and ornate pillars; the brāhmaṇa in white with sacred thread, priest gesturing ‘samāhitaḥ’; rich reds/greens, jeweled borders, devotional iconographic clarity despite moral tension.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined faces and delicate hands over a weighing scale, subtle expressions of restraint and sorrow; cool background tones, fine textile patterns, a quiet psychological focus on motive versus glittering wealth.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized gold heaps, bold outlines, expressive eyes showing inner conflict; warm yellow-red palette with green accents, mural-like flat perspective emphasizing ethical message.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative borders of lotus and creepers framing a central tableau of weighing gold; deep blue ground with gold detailing, symbolic peacocks perched on pillars as witnesses to dharma, intricate floral motifs contrasting with the transactional scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["coin clinks","soft temple bell","murmured counsel","paper/palm-leaf rustle","low drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चतुः+लक्षम्→चतुःलक्षम् (द्विगु); ब्रह्मन्+नय→ब्रह्मन्नय; पुत्र+लालसात्→पुत्रलालसात्; ‘नः’ enclitic pronoun.
FAQs
It teaches that charity (dāna) should be offered willingly and with inner composure, not driven by transactional desire—specifically, not as a bargain motivated by craving for a son.
It highlights a common motive in ritual giving—seeking progeny—and critiques it as a lesser intention, implying that the purity of motive matters as much as the act of giving.
That generosity should be free from attachment and ulterior motives; giving done calmly, gladly, and without bargaining is ethically and spiritually superior.