Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
कांस्यं सवस्त्रं राजेन्द्र दक्षिणासहितं तथा । समाप्ते गां च यो दद्यात्स याति शिवमंदिरम्
kāṃsyaṃ savastraṃ rājendra dakṣiṇāsahitaṃ tathā | samāpte gāṃ ca yo dadyātsa yāti śivamaṃdiram
राजेन्द्र! कांस्यपात्रं सवस्त्रं दक्षिणासहितं दद्यात्। समाप्ते च गां यो ददाति, स शिवमन्दिरं (शिवधाम) याति॥
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator addressing a king: 'rājendra')
Concept: Dāna becomes spiritually efficacious when complete: proper object, accompanying cloth, due honorarium, and concluding go-dāna.
Application: When giving, give fully: include what makes the gift usable (supporting items), respect the recipient, and finish commitments rather than leaving them half-done.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king, addressed as rājendra, oversees a formal donation: a bronze vessel wrapped with clean cloth and accompanied by dakṣiṇā is presented with solemnity. At the rite’s end, a cow is gifted, and the scene subtly transitions toward a glowing Śiva temple, suggesting the promised destination.","primary_figures":["king (rājendra)","brāhmaṇa recipient","cow","Śiva (as liṅga or temple icon)"],"setting":"Royal courtyard with ritual pavilion; attendants holding cloth and coins; distant temple spire visible beyond palace walls.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["burnished bronze","ivory cloth-white","royal crimson","marigold gold","stone gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: royal donor in jeweled crown offers a burnished bronze vessel draped in white cloth to a brāhmaṇa; gold leaf highlights on ornaments and temple spire in the background; cow with garland at the lower register; rich reds/greens, embossed gold borders, formal symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined courtly scene with delicate textiles and restrained gestures; the bronze vessel gleams softly; a small Śiva shrine appears in the distance; cool yet warm-balanced palette, fine facial detailing, lyrical architecture.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized king and brāhmaṇa with bold outlines; prominent bronze vessel motif; temple doorway with lamps; red/yellow/green pigments, patterned floor designs, iconic cow depiction.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of floral vines and lamps; central tableau of dāna with cow; background includes a stylized temple and lotus motifs; deep blues and gold accents, intricate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["courtly silence","ritual chanting","temple bells","conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दद्यात्स = दद्यात् + सः; शिवमंदिरम् = शिवमन्दिरम् (लेखनभेद)
The verse lists donating a bronze vessel (kāṃsya), cloth (vastra), the appropriate dakṣiṇā (honorarium), and finally a cow at the conclusion of the rite.
The donor is said to attain Śiva’s abode (śiva-mandiram), indicating a Śaiva-oriented fruit for meritorious giving.
It underscores dāna (generosity) done properly—complete with due honorarium and concluding gifts—as a disciplined moral act linked to spiritual upliftment.