Shloka 99
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
अभक्ष्यभक्षकाश्चान्ये ते प्रेताश्चापुनर्भवाः । बलाद्ये परवस्तूनि गृह्णंति न ददत्यपि
abhakṣyabhakṣakāścānye te pretāścāpunarbhavāḥ | balādye paravastūni gṛhṇaṃti na dadatyapi
Yang lain yang memakan perkara terlarang (abhakṣya) menjadi preta dan terhalang daripada kelahiran semula. Sesiapa yang merampas harta orang lain dengan paksa dan tidak memberi apa-apa balasan, juga menerima nasib yang sama.
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within the Adhyaya context)
Concept: Eating forbidden things and forcibly seizing others’ property leads to preta-state and ‘apunarbhaava’ (denial of rebirth), stressing the gravity of adharma and the closure of spiritual opportunity.
Application: Maintain ethical livelihood, respect others’ property, avoid coercion; practice generosity to counter possessiveness and cultivate sattva.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom-like moral scene: a figure snatches another’s goods by force while spectral pretas gather behind him, their forms like smoke that clings and weighs down the body. In the background, a simple plate of ‘forbidden food’ sits untouched, glowing ominously as a symbol of abhakṣya temptation.","primary_figures":["thief/robber (allegorical)","victim (householder)","preta-forms","dharma personified (subtle, as a stern witness)"],"setting":"Marketplace edge or village path with scattered goods, a weighing scale, and a shadowed shrine niche","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["dusty ochre","iron gray","saffron gold","dark maroon","smoke white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral tableau with gold-leaf accents on scales and shrine lamps; central figure forcibly taking goods, pretas as dark aura; rich reds/greens with heavy ornamentation, didactic clarity like a temple panel warning against theft and abhakṣya.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined marketplace scene with delicate gestures—hand grabbing, hand recoiling; translucent pretas behind like pale wash; cool morning light, detailed textiles and objects, narrative emphasis on ethical choice.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures in dynamic pose of seizure, pretas as swirling black-gray bands; strong saffron and red highlights, iconic dharma-witness figure at side, temple-wall didactic composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with ornate floral borders; central scene of ethical transgression framed by lotus motifs; deep blue ground with gold highlights on objects, pretas as patterned shadow forms, maintaining decorative elegance while conveying warning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Shankara","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single bell toll","footsteps on stone","wind through trees","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अभक्ष्यभक्षकाश्च = अभक्ष्यभक्षकाः + च; चान्ये = च + अन्ये; प्रेताश्च = प्रेताः + च; चापुनर्भवाः = च + अपुनर्भवाः; बलाद्ये = बलात् + ये; ददत्यपि = ददति + अपि.
FAQs
It condemns eating prohibited foods and forcibly taking others’ possessions (theft/robbery), presenting them as actions with severe karmic consequences.
A preta is portrayed as a troubled post-death state—an unsettled spirit condition—used here to emphasize the gravity of unethical conduct.
It links specific immoral acts to an adverse post-mortem destiny described as preta-hood and “apunarbhava” (loss of auspicious rebirth), underscoring that actions shape future states of existence.