Shloka 20
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
विहाय पितरं भोग्या धने क्षीणे यथा वनम् । पक्षिणस्सूकरश्चैव महिषी करिणी तथा
vihāya pitaraṃ bhogyā dhane kṣīṇe yathā vanam | pakṣiṇassūkaraścaiva mahiṣī kariṇī tathā
Apabila harta telah habis, para penumpang nikmat meninggalkan pelindungnya—sebagaimana makhluk-makhluk meninggalkan hutan ketika sumbernya telah susut: burung-burung, babi hutan, dan demikian juga kerbau betina serta gajah betina.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: Worldly relationships based on wealth are impermanent; when prosperity ends, dependents depart—therefore seek lasting refuge in dharma and devotion.
Application: Build relationships on virtue, not utility; practice generosity without expectation; cultivate remembrance of Viṣṇu so the mind is not shattered by reversals of fortune.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A once-thriving forest now thinned and dry: birds lift away from empty branches, a boar turns back into the scrub, and a buffalo-cow and she-elephant move off in search of water—mirroring the human scene of dependents quietly leaving a patron whose coffers are spent. In the foreground, the abandoned protector stands still, realizing the sharp lesson of impermanence.","primary_figures":["a fallen patron/protector (pitaram as guardian figure)","departing dependents (symbolic)","birds","boar","buffalo-cow (mahiṣī)","she-elephant (kariṇī)"],"setting":"A forest edge near a depleted watering place; parallel human dwelling hinted by an empty granary and silent courtyard.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ash gray","dry ochre","deep indigo","pale silver","withered green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: allegorical split-scene—left: a patron in a dim courtyard with emptied treasure chest; right: a drying forest with birds flying off, boar retreating, buffalo-cow and she-elephant departing; gold leaf used sparingly as ‘faded’ glory, rich but muted reds/greens, expressive faces emphasizing karuṇa.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poignant forest landscape with delicate trees and a shrinking waterhole; animals departing in gentle motion; the human figure seated in contemplation near an empty storehouse, cool night palette, lyrical melancholy, fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: symbolic forest with bold outlines; animals rendered in stylized profiles moving away; the protector figure in sorrowful stillness; strong pigments but subdued composition, temple-wall austerity conveying vairāgya.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: metaphorical composition with lotus borders turned sparse; animals departing around a central empty vessel motif; deep indigo ground with muted gold, decorative yet somber, emphasizing the moral of impermanence through patterned repetition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["night wind","distant owl","faint temple bell","long silences"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pakṣiṇaḥ+sūkaraḥ+ca+eva → pakṣiṇassūkaraścaiva (ḥ+s → ss; ca+eva → caiva).
FAQs
It teaches the impermanence of worldly attachment: when resources end, those who benefited often depart, revealing relationships based on utility rather than duty.
The forest metaphor illustrates natural, resource-driven movement: creatures stay where there is sustenance and move on when it is depleted—mirroring how dependents may leave when wealth is gone.
It advises discernment and detachment: support others with compassion, but do not assume gratitude or permanence; instead cultivate steadier virtues (dharma) beyond wealth-based bonds.