Shloka 3
The Procedure for the Consecration of a Pond
द्रव्याणि कानि शस्तानि सर्वमाचक्ष्व सुव्रत । पुलस्त्य उवाच । शृणु राजन्महाबाहो तटाकादिषु यो विधिः
dravyāṇi kāni śastāni sarvamācakṣva suvrata | pulastya uvāca | śṛṇu rājanmahābāho taṭākādiṣu yo vidhiḥ
“Terangkan kepadaku dengan lengkap, wahai yang teguh berikrar suci, bahan-bahan apakah yang dianggap utama dan sesuai.” Pulastya berkata: “Dengarlah, wahai raja yang berlengan perkasa, akan tatacara yang ditetapkan bagi kolam dan seumpamanya.”}]}
Pulastya (replying to the king addressed as rājan/mahābāho)
Concept: Dharma is learned through attentive listening to śāstric procedure; sacred merit arises from correctly performed public-benefit rites (like water-reservoir works).
Application: Seek qualified guidance before undertaking religious/charitable projects; prioritize works that sustain life (water, food, shelter) and perform them with purity and accountability.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A forest-edge hermitage court where sage Pulastya, calm and radiant, instructs a mighty-armed king seated respectfully. In the background, artisans mark out a pond embankment and ritual ground, hinting at the coming tātāka-vidhi, while palm-leaf manuscripts and ritual vessels rest beside the sage.","primary_figures":["Pulastya","King (rājan/mahābāho)","Brāhmaṇa assistants","Artisans (śilpins)"],"setting":"Hermitage near a newly planned pond site; ritual implements, measuring cords, and a cleared sacred ground visible.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron ochre","forest green","lotus pink","burnished gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Pulastya seated on a low pedestal with gold-leaf halo, instructing a crowned king with folded hands; behind them a stylized pond embankment and ritual ground, ornate kalashas and palm-leaf manuscripts; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, heavy gold leaf detailing on halos, borders, and vessels, traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a serene sage teaching a warrior-king in a Himalayan-tinged forest hermitage; delicate brushwork, cool greens and blues, fine facial features, a small pond under construction in the distance, lyrical naturalism with flowering shrubs and birds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Pulastya with luminous aura and the king in regal attire listening; ritual ground and pond indicated with symbolic geometry; natural pigments with dominant reds, yellows, greens; large expressive eyes and temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional instructional tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; a sacred pond scene with attendants, kalashas, and garlands; deep blues and gold accents, stylized nature elements, ornate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","rustling leaves","distant flowing water","low drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sarvamācakṣva = sarvam + ācakṣva; rājanmahābāho = rājan + mahābāho; taṭākādiṣu = taṭāka-ādiṣu (compound); syānmaṃḍapaśca etc. not in this verse.
FAQs
It introduces an inquiry about which materials are considered proper (śastāni dravyāṇi) and begins Pulastya’s explanation of the prescribed procedure (vidhi) for constructing/maintaining ponds and similar water-works.
Pulastya is the speaker, responding to a king addressed as “rājan” and “mahābāho,” after the king asks what materials are appropriate.
The verse frames public or sacred works (like ponds) as governed by dharma—there are “proper” materials and an ordained method, implying conscientious, rule-guided action rather than arbitrary construction.