Shloka 100
The Account of King Yayāti: Kāmasaras, Rati’s Tears, and the Birth of Aśrubindumatī
within the Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha Narrative
यथात्मदानपुण्यस्य कृपया यो ददाति च । फलं राजन्हि तत्तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः
yathātmadānapuṇyasya kṛpayā yo dadāti ca | phalaṃ rājanhi tattasya jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ
यः करुणया दानं ददाति, स आत्मदानपुण्यस्यैव फलं प्राप्नोति; राजन्, अत्र संशयो नास्ति।
Unspecified (addressing a King, 'rājan')
Concept: Compassionate giving yields fruit equal to the merit of ‘self-giving’ (ātma-dāna-puṇya); intention (kṛpā) magnifies karmic result.
Application: Give help with empathy, not superiority; even small acts done with genuine compassion carry transformative spiritual weight.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compassionate donor bends slightly to offer food and cloth to a needy person, while a faint luminous double-image shows the donor offering their own ‘self’ as a symbolic inner sacrifice. Above them, a subtle scale of karma balances perfectly, indicating the verse’s claim of equal fruit when giving is done with kṛpā.","primary_figures":["A king or householder donor","A needy recipient (traveler, poor person, ascetic)","A witnessing sage or subtle divine presence"],"setting":"Temple courtyard or roadside charity pavilion (anna-śālā) with a small Viṣṇu shrine in the background, emphasizing Vaiṣṇava charity ethos.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm saffron","earth brown","leaf green","sky blue","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: charity scene in a temple courtyard, donor with ornate attire and gold leaf highlights, recipient in humble garments, a small Viṣṇu shrine with conch and discus motifs, embossed gold borders, rich reds/greens, and a symbolic karma-scale motif above.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle human realism—donor offering alms with tender expression, recipient grateful, a small shrine and trees behind, soft morning light, delicate brushwork and pastel palette, subtle symbolic overlay of a luminous ‘inner self-gift’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, donor and recipient in clear profile, temple architecture simplified, strong red-yellow-green palette, a stylized balance-scale icon above, and a small Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) in the background.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical charity pavilion with lotus borders, central act of dāna, decorative conch-disc motifs, cows and peacocks at margins as auspicious witnesses, deep blue ground with gold and saffron highlights, intricate floral patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","murmur of devotees","gentle flowing water"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथात्मदानपुण्यस्य = यथा + आत्मदानपुण्यस्य; राजन्हि = राजन् + हि; तत्तस्य = तत् + तस्य; नात्र = न + अत्र.
FAQs
It teaches that giving motivated by compassion yields a spiritual result equal to the exalted merit associated with ātma-dāna (self-giving/self-surrender).
Many Purāṇic teachings are framed as counsel to rulers, emphasizing that ethical generosity and compassion are central to righteous governance (rāja-dharma).
The verse prioritizes intention: compassionate motivation (kṛpā) sanctifies giving and elevates its फल (spiritual fruit), removing doubt about its efficacy.