Shloka 20
Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Warnings on Sensual Attachment; Praise of Brāhmaṇas, Purāṇa-Listening, and Gaṅgā
जन्मजन्म हृषीकेश सेवनं यैः कृतं द्विजाः । द्विजे दत्तं हुतं वह्नौ विरतिस्तत्र तत्र हि
janmajanma hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṃ yaiḥ kṛtaṃ dvijāḥ | dvije dattaṃ hutaṃ vahnau viratistatra tatra hi
Wahai para dvija, mereka yang dari kelahiran ke kelahiran telah berkhidmat kepada Hṛṣīkeśa; pada mereka berulang kali nyata adanya sedekah kepada dvija, persembahan homa ke dalam api suci, serta semangat menahan diri dan menjauhi nafsu.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Svargakhaṇḍa 61)
Concept: Repeated service to Hṛṣīkeśa across births naturally expresses itself as dāna, homa, and restraint—outer dharma flowing from inner devotion.
Application: Anchor daily practice in a simple seva (japa, pūjā, temple service, feeding devotees); let it mature into disciplined senses, regular charity, and occasional homa/offerings (or symbolic agni as lamp).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene sacrificial courtyard where a gentle agni rises from a square altar, while a devotee offers ghee with a ladle, eyes fixed on a radiant Hṛṣīkeśa vision appearing above the flames. Nearby, brāhmaṇas receive humble gifts—grain, cloth, and water—while the atmosphere suggests lifelong discipline rather than spectacle.","primary_figures":["Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)","devotee householder","brāhmaṇas (dvijas)","Agni (as sacred fire)"],"setting":"Forest-edge āśrama courtyard with a yajña-vedi, kusa grass seats, water pot, and a small Tulasi planter subtly present as Vaishnava marker.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","ghee-gold","smoke-gray","sandalwood beige","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Hṛṣīkeśa in sapphire-blue with conch and discus emerging in a halo above a gold-leaf yajña flame; devotee offering ghee at a square vedi; brāhmaṇas receiving dāna at the side; rich crimson and emerald borders, gem-studded ornaments, thick gold embossing for the aura and fire.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet āśrama scene with delicate brushwork—soft orange agni, pale river-stone courtyard, slender brāhmaṇas seated on kusa; Vishnu’s vision lightly sketched in the smoke; cool greens and blues, lyrical trees and distant hills.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Vishnu’s large expressive eyes and ornate crown; stylized yajña-vedi with rhythmic flame patterns; warm red-yellow-green pigments, temple-wall symmetry, attendants holding pātra and dāna items.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vaishnava courtyard with lotus motifs framing a central Vishnu radiance above the yajña; intricate floral borders, deep indigo background, gold highlights; devotees and brāhmaṇas arranged in devotional procession, peacocks near the Tulasi planter."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","crackling sacred fire","conch shell (distant)","murmured mantra","evening silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हृषीकेश सेवनम् → हृषीकेश-सेवनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष).
FAQs
It states that repeated service to Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu) manifests repeatedly as virtuous conduct—charity to the twice-born, sacrificial offerings, and self-restraint—across many lifetimes.
It presents devotion (sevana) as the inner cause that naturally expresses itself outwardly through dāna (giving) and yajña (offerings into fire), along with ethical restraint.
“Virati” highlights disciplined withdrawal from harmful or selfish actions; the verse frames such restraint as a recurring fruit of sustained devotion to Viṣṇu.