Shloka 118
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
न धर्ममर्थं कामं च मोक्षं च जरयायुतः । शक्तः साधयितुं तस्माद्युवा धर्मं समाचरेत्
na dharmamarthaṃ kāmaṃ ca mokṣaṃ ca jarayāyutaḥ | śaktaḥ sādhayituṃ tasmādyuvā dharmaṃ samācaret
जरयायुतो जनो धर्मार्थकाममोक्षान् साधयितुं न शक्तः। तस्माद् यौवने एव धर्मं सम्यक् समाचरेत्।
Unspecified (narratorial instruction within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Do not defer the four puruṣārthas—especially dharma and mokṣa—because old age weakens capacity; practice dharma while youth and strength remain.
Application: Set a daily dharma routine now: satya, ahimsa, dana, study, nama-japa; adopt periodic Ekadashi fasting and Vishnu worship while health permits; plan life so artha and kama remain dharma-governed.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A youthful seeker stands at dawn beside a simple Vishnu altar, holding a mala, while behind him an hourglass and a withering leaf symbolize time and aging. The scene contrasts bright morning vigor with a faint shadow of an elderly silhouette, urging timely dharma.","primary_figures":["young seeker/householder","Vishnu (altar icon)","personified Time (symbolic hourglass)"],"setting":"riverbank or courtyard shrine with tulasi pedestal and a small lamp","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise saffron","lotus pink","peacock blue","white sandalwood","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: youthful devotee performing arati to Vishnu; gold leaf radiance around the deity and halo; rich red-green textiles; symbolic hourglass motif in the border; ornate jewelry and traditional iconography emphasizing disciplined dharma.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dawn landscape with soft gradients; a young man with mala near a small shrine and tulasi; delicate brushwork, refined facial features; distant hills and a pale river; subtle symbolic shadow of old age behind him.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; central youthful figure in prayer; Vishnu icon with conch-chakra; warm yellow-red-green palette; stylized hourglass and fading leaf motifs integrated into the mural border.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional morning scene with lotus borders; Vishnu/Krishna-centered altar in deep blue and gold; floral motifs around a tulasi vrindavana; symbolic time motifs woven into the intricate border patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft conch shell","morning birds","gentle bell at cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्माद्युवा = तस्मात् युवा.
FAQs
It urges early practice of dharma, warning that old age weakens one’s capacity to pursue the four goals of life—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.
It explicitly names all four puruṣārthas and frames dharma as the discipline to be established in youth so the other aims (including mokṣa) remain attainable.
Do not postpone virtue and disciplined living; cultivate righteous habits early, because later life may reduce strength, focus, and opportunity.