Shloka 26
Description of the Worship of the Planets
गोमेदं सर्षपाश्चैव तिला माषाश्च कृष्णकाः । महिषी च तथा च्छागो दानं राहोः प्रकीर्तितम्
gomedaṃ sarṣapāścaiva tilā māṣāśca kṛṣṇakāḥ | mahiṣī ca tathā cchāgo dānaṃ rāhoḥ prakīrtitam
Gomedaka (hessonite), biji sawi, biji wijen, māṣa hitam (kacang urad), serta biji-biji kecil berwarna hitam—bersama seekor kerbau betina dan seekor kambing—disebut sebagai sedekah yang ditetapkan untuk Rāhu.
Unspecified (narratorial instruction within a dāna/context passage)
Concept: Specific gifts, matched to the deity/force, are prescribed as a dharmic remedy for affliction; material items become vehicles of merit when offered rightly.
Application: Practice intentional giving: choose donations that are meaningful, timely, and suited to the need; let charity be structured rather than impulsive.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual table displays the prescribed Rāhu-dāna items: a gleaming honey-brown gomedaka gem, bowls of mustard and black sesame, heaps of black gram, and tiny dark seeds arranged in concentric patterns. In the background, a she-buffalo and a goat stand calmly with garlands, while priests prepare to transfer them as sacred gifts.","primary_figures":["ritual priest","donor","she-buffalo (mahīṣī)","goat (chāga)"],"setting":"Village temple yard or yajña pavilion with offering mats, copper bowls, and garlanded animals.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["hessonite amber","matte black","earth brown","copper","leafy green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: richly detailed offering display with gold-leaf highlights on the gomedaka gem and copper vessels, garlanded buffalo and goat at the side, priests and donor in traditional attire, ornate arch and textile borders in deep red and green.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate still-life of ritual items—gem, seeds, grains—rendered with fine brushwork, animals softly outlined, gentle natural background, restrained palette with amber focal point.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines of offering bowls and animals, patterned textures for seeds and grains, warm earthy pigments with strong black accents, temple-wall composition with symmetrical arrangement.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical offering layout framed by floral borders, stylized animals with decorative harnesses, deep blue-black ground with gold and amber highlights, intricate motifs around the central gem."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["murmured mantras","animal bells","rustle of grains","temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्षपाश्चैव = सर्षपाः + च + एव. माषाश्च = माषाः + च. च्छागो = च + छागः (च + छ → च्छ).
FAQs
It lists specific items regarded as appropriate ritual gifts (dāna) associated with propitiating or pacifying Rāhu in a graha-related context.
The verse groups items traditionally linked with Rāhu’s symbolism (often associated with darkness/obscuration), so the recommended dāna reflects that thematic correspondence.
It frames giving (dāna) as a disciplined, intentional act—selecting offerings thoughtfully and performing charity as a structured spiritual duty rather than as a random gesture.