Shloka 163
Viśokā Dvādaśī Vow, Guḍa-Dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift, and Śaila-Dāna (Mountain-Charity) Rites
दशभिर्मध्यमः प्रोक्तः पंचभिस्त्वधमः स्मृतः । अल्पवित्तोपि कुर्वीत द्वाभ्यामिह विधानतः
daśabhirmadhyamaḥ proktaḥ paṃcabhistvadhamaḥ smṛtaḥ | alpavittopi kurvīta dvābhyāmiha vidhānataḥ
Melakukannya dengan sepuluh (unit) disebut darjat pertengahan; dengan lima diingati sebagai darjat rendah. Bahkan orang yang berharta sedikit pun hendaklah melakukannya di sini menurut tatacara, dengan dua (unit).
Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor voice within Adhyaya 21)
Concept: Dharma accommodates capacity: graded offerings allow participation by all, and sincere compliance with vidhi matters more than opulence.
Application: Give consistently within your means; avoid postponing virtue until you can do ‘more’. Start with what is feasible and do it properly.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A modest household donor approaches the ritual pavilion with only two small vessels, while wealthier patrons stand nearby with larger sets. The officiating priest gestures kindly, indicating the correct placement and reassuring that the rite remains valid when done according to vidhi. The scene highlights dignity in simplicity and the quiet strength of sincere giving.","primary_figures":["Modest donor","Priest (ācārya/ṛtvik)","Other donors (background)"],"setting":"Ritual pavilion with offering platform and neatly arranged vessels of varying number","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","cotton white","leaf green","brass gold","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: priest blessing a humble donor holding two small pots; background shows larger offerings arranged in tiers; gold leaf accents on vessels and altar, rich red-green drapery, ornate borders, dignified expressions and traditional jewelry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle social tableau—humble donor and priest in a canopy pavilion; delicate textiles, soft greens and browns, refined faces, minimal but expressive gestures emphasizing inclusion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures; priest’s hand in instructive mudrā; two pots highlighted in bright yellow; patterned pavilion backdrop, natural pigment palette, ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical altar with a small pair of pots foregrounded; floral borders and hanging lamps; deep blue ground with gold detailing; emphasis on devotional simplicity through clean central composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft bell","low chant","rustling leaves","quiet footsteps","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दशभिर्मध्यमः = दशभिः मध्यमः; पंचभिस्त्वधमः = पञ्चभिः तु अधमः; अल्पवित्तोपि = अल्पवित्तः अपि; द्वाभ्यामिह = द्वाभ्याम् इह.
FAQs
It grades a prescribed religious act by capacity (ten = middling, five = lower) and emphasizes inclusivity: even someone with limited means should still perform it with at least two, following the rule.
No. It explicitly affirms that a person of little wealth may still fulfill the rite in a valid minimum form, provided it follows the injunction.
Religious duty is not meant to be exclusionary; sincerity and adherence to the prescribed method matter, and practice should be scaled to one’s means without abandoning it.