Shloka 68
Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
एकभक्तं नरः कुर्यादब्दमेकं विमत्सरः । व्रतांते विप्रमिथुनं पूज्यं धेनुत्रयान्वितम्
ekabhaktaṃ naraḥ kuryādabdamekaṃ vimatsaraḥ | vratāṃte vipramithunaṃ pūjyaṃ dhenutrayānvitam
Dengan bebas daripada hasad, seseorang hendaklah mengamalkan disiplin ekabhakta selama setahun penuh. Pada akhir nazar, hendaklah dia memuliakan sepasang brāhmaṇa yang layak dipuja, beserta tiga ekor lembu.
Unspecified (narrative injunction in the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Austerity must be paired with amātsarya (freedom from envy) and culminate in honoring worthy recipients; restraint becomes dharma when it flowers into respect and giving.
Application: Adopt a sustainable discipline (one mindful meal daily or periodic simplicity) while actively training the mind away from comparison/envy; end any personal vow with gratitude and generosity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a quiet courtyard after a year of restraint, the vrata-observer offers seats and respectful worship to a brāhmaṇa couple, placing flowers and a cloth at their feet. Three cows stand nearby with painted horns and garlands, embodying the vow’s completion as generosity rather than mere self-denial.","primary_figures":["vratin (devotee)","brāhmaṇa couple (vipra-mithuna)","three cows"],"setting":"Home altar courtyard with banana-leaf decorations, offering trays, water vessels, and a small fire or lamp for udyāpana.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["warm white","marigold orange","cowhide brown","vermillion red","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: udyāpana scene—devotee honoring a seated brāhmaṇa couple with pādya/arghya and flowers; three garlanded cows beside them; gold-leaf highlights on ornaments, vessels, and halos; rich reds/greens, ornate pillars, gem-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined domestic courtyard—soft textiles, delicate gestures of respect, brāhmaṇa couple serene; three cows calmly arranged; subtle shading, cool-warm balance, lyrical realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—central devotee in namaskāra, brāhmaṇa couple seated, three cows in profile; patterned borders, natural pigment palette with strong reds/yellows/greens.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ceremonial completion framed by floral borders; cows as auspicious motifs; devotee offering flowers and cloth; intricate lotus vines, deep blue background with gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["mantra murmurs","clinking of copper vessels","cow bells","temple bell","quiet silence after offerings"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kuryādabdamekaṃ → kuryāt + abdam + ekam; vratāṃte → vrata-ante; dhenutrayānvitam → dhenu-traya-anvitam.
FAQs
Ekabhakta is a vrata-discipline in which one eats only once per day, typically with restraint and purity, undertaken here for a full year.
The vow is framed as an ethical-spiritual practice: inner purity (absence of jealousy) is presented as essential for the merit of austerity and charity.
The verse prescribes honoring a pair of Brahmins (vipramithunam) and associating the offering with three cows (dhenutrayānvitam), indicating concluding charity and reverence.