Shloka 161
The Manifestation of Viṣṇu’s Footprints: Vāmana–Trivikrama, Bāṣkali’s Subjugation, and the Rise of Viṣṇupadī
Gaṅgā
दानानि ये प्रयच्छंति सकुशोदकपाणिना । प्रीयतां भगवान्विष्णुः परमात्मा सनातनः
dānāni ye prayacchaṃti sakuśodakapāṇinā | prīyatāṃ bhagavānviṣṇuḥ paramātmā sanātanaḥ
Que o bem-aventurado Senhor Viṣṇu, o Supremo Ser e Eu eterno, se agrade daqueles que concedem dádivas, tendo na mão água sagrada junto com a relva kuśa.
Narrator/compilers’ voice (benedictory statement within the discourse; specific dialogue speaker not explicit from the single verse)
Concept: Dāna offered with ritual purity and right intention becomes an act of worship that pleases Viṣṇu, the eternal Paramātman.
Application: When giving—money, food, time—add a moment of sanctification: a brief prayer, clean intention, and humility; treat the recipient as a locus for Nārāyaṇa-sevā.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene donor stands with palms cupped, holding clear sacred water threaded with fresh kuśa blades, offering it with a bowed head. Behind the act, Viṣṇu is envisioned as the unseen Paramātman—suggested by a soft aura and a faint śaṅkha-cakra motif in the air—while a humble recipient accepts with calm dignity.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as subtle presiding presence)","dānapati (donor)","brāhmaṇa/atithi (recipient)"],"setting":"Riverbank or temple courtyard with a small yajña-kuṇḍa, copper lota, kuśa bundle, and a low altar; distant tulasī planter and hanging bells to signal Vaiṣṇava ambience.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","copper bronze","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a devotional dāna scene at a temple courtyard, donor offering udaka with kuśa to a seated brāhmaṇa; Viṣṇu as Paramātman indicated by a radiant sapphire-blue halo with śaṅkha-cakra emblems, heavy gold leaf embellishment on ornaments and arch, rich reds and greens, gem-studded jewelry, crisp South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverbank charity scene with delicate brushwork; donor in simple garments offering water with kuśa, recipient serene; faint celestial Viṣṇu aura in the sky, cool natural palette, refined faces, soft Himalayan-like landscape and flowering shrubs, subtle patterned textiles.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; donor and recipient in frontal clarity, ritual objects (lota, kuśa) emphasized; Viṣṇu’s presence as a stylized radiant mandala with śaṅkha-cakra, temple wall aesthetic, characteristic large eyes, red-yellow-green dominant palette with blue accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional offering scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; subtle Viṣṇu symbolism via śaṅkha-cakra patterns, deep blues and gold; attendants, bells, and garlands; ornate textile-like detailing, Nathdwara-inspired composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell (distant)","flowing water","soft drone (tanpura)","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सकुशोदकपाणिना इति पदच्छेदः: स + कुश + उदक + पाणिना (समुच्चयार्थे ‘with’); भगवान्विष्णुः = भगवान् + विष्णुः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि)।
FAQs
Kuśa and water symbolize ritual purity and formal intention (saṅkalpa). The verse presents dāna as both ethical generosity and a sanctified act offered for divine pleasure.
It frames charity as an offering meant to please Viṣṇu, linking social virtue (giving) to devotion (seeking the Lord’s grace).
Generosity should be practiced with reverence and purity of intention—giving is not only material help but also a sacred responsibility aligned with dharma.