Shloka 42
The Five Narratives (Pañcākhyāna): Desire, Forbearance, Devotion, and Merit of Hearing
यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि तस्य नास्तीह दुर्गतिः । ब्रह्महत्यादिभिः पापैर्न लिप्येत कदाचन
yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi tasya nāstīha durgatiḥ | brahmahatyādibhiḥ pāpairna lipyeta kadācana
Sesiapa yang membaca atau bahkan hanya mendengarnya, tidak akan ditimpa malang di dunia ini; dan dia tidak sekali-kali ternoda oleh dosa seperti pembunuhan brahmana dan seumpamanya.
Unspecified (narratorial phalaśruti typical of Purāṇic chapters)
Concept: Śravaṇa and pāṭha of sacred Purāṇic kathā remove even grave pāpa and avert durgati.
Application: Keep a daily practice of listening/reading a small portion with faith; use it as a remedial discipline when guilt, fear, or moral fatigue arises.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet temple hall where a Purāṇika recites from a palm-leaf manuscript; listeners sit with folded hands as a soft aura of cleansing light rises like lotus petals around them. In the background, shadowy forms symbolizing heavy sins dissolve into mist, replaced by a calm, protective radiance.","primary_figures":["Purāṇika (reciter)","devotee listeners","symbolic Viṣṇu aura (aniconic radiance)"],"setting":"lamp-lit mandapa with carved pillars, palm-leaf manuscript stand, incense smoke curling upward","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm amber","sandalwood beige","deep maroon","smoky indigo","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian mandapa with a seated Purāṇika holding a palm-leaf manuscript, devotees in añjali, an aniconic golden halo suggesting Viṣṇu’s grace behind them; heavy gold leaf embellishment on pillars and halo, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, crisp frontal composition, sacred calm.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate satsanga scene in a small pavilion, delicate brushwork and refined faces, soft indigo shadows; a luminous, lotus-like aura behind the reciter as dark wisps (sins) fade; lyrical naturalism, fine textiles, subtle Himalayan-style architectural details.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments; a temple interior with oil lamps, the reciter and listeners in stylized poses, large expressive eyes; a radiant circular prabhāmaṇḍala behind them signifying pāpa-kṣaya; dominant red/yellow/green palette with rhythmic ornamentation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional listening assembly framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; deep blue background with gold highlights; peacocks near the threshold, hanging lamps, and a central golden aura implying Viṣṇu-kathā’s purifying power, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells (distant)","soft tanpura drone","incense crackle","silence between verses"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पठेच्छृणुयात् = पठेत् + शृणुयात्; शृणुयाद्वापि = शृणुयात् + वा + अपि; नास्तीह = न + अस्ति + इह; पापैर्न = पापैः + न.
FAQs
It explicitly praises both: reciting/reading (pāṭha) and listening (śravaṇa), stating that either practice yields protection from a bad fate and freedom from sinful taint.
Yes. It uses “brahmahatyā” as a representative example of extremely serious wrongdoing, asserting that the practitioner is not “stained” by such sins—typical Purāṇic phalaśruti language emphasizing transformative merit.
The verse underscores the power of sustained engagement with sacred teaching—hearing and reciting—as a means of moral renewal, steering one away from downfall (durgati) and toward purification.