Shloka 69
The Tale of the Five Pretas and the Glory of Puṣkara & the Eastern Sarasvatī
आग्नेयं तु यदा ऋक्षं कार्तिक्यां भवति क्वचित् । महती सा तिथिर्ज्ञेया स्नाने दाने तथोत्तमा
āgneyaṃ tu yadā ṛkṣaṃ kārtikyāṃ bhavati kvacit | mahatī sā tithirjñeyā snāne dāne tathottamā
आग्नेयं तु यदा ऋक्षं कार्तिक्यां भवति क्वचित्। महती सा तिथिर्ज्ञेया स्नाने दाने तथोत्तमा॥
Unspecified (context not provided for the dialogue frame in this excerpt)
Concept: Sacred time (kāla) amplifies the fruit of purificatory bathing and charitable giving.
Application: Use Kārtika for intentional charity and a purifying bath/ablution; choose especially auspicious nakṣatra-days to anchor vows, donations, and ancestor rites.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene Kārtika dawn: pilgrims descend stone steps into a sacred river, holding copper lotas and lamps, while a learned brāhmaṇa points to a star-map indicating the Agneya nakṣatra. Nearby, householders distribute cloth, grains, and coins to the needy, the air filled with the hush of mantra and the scent of incense.","primary_figures":["pilgrims (gṛhasthas and ascetics)","a jyotiṣī/brāhmaṇa","donors and recipients"],"setting":"river ghat with temple spire in the distance; Kārtika month atmosphere with floating lamps and early mist","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","saffron gold","river-teal","misty pearl","copper bronze"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kārtika river-ghāṭa at sunrise with devotees performing snāna and dāna; central figure a brāhmaṇa-jyotiṣī holding a palm-leaf almanac and pointing upward; ornate temple tower behind; gold leaf halos on key figures, rich vermilion and emerald garments, gem-studded jewelry, stylized waves and lotus motifs, heavy gold embellishment on lamps and vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical Kārtika dawn on a quiet ghāṭa; delicate figures in soft shawls offering alms; a scholar indicates the Agneya nakṣatra on a small sky-diagram; cool mist over turquoise water, fine linework, gentle facial features, distant hills and a small shrine, restrained yet luminous palette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: temple-river setting with bold black outlines; devotees in traditional attire holding brass lamps and copper pots; the jyotiṣī with palm-leaf manuscript; flat yet vibrant fields of red, yellow, green; stylized lotus border; sacred calm conveyed through symmetrical composition and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Kārtika snāna and dāna scene framed by intricate floral borders and rows of lamps; lotus-filled river foreground; peacocks and cows at the margins; deep indigo water with gold highlights; ornate patterns on garments; devotional ambience with repeated diya motifs and auspicious symbols."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","soft conch shell","murmured mantras","dawn birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तिथिर्ज्ञेया = तिथिः + ज्ञेया; तथोत्तमा = तथा + उत्तमा
FAQs
It highlights snāna (ritual bathing) and dāna (charitable giving) as especially meritorious when the Agneya nakṣatra occurs in Kārtika.
The verse teaches dharma through sacred timekeeping—certain calendrical combinations are treated as highly auspicious and are meant to be used for purification and generosity.
No. In this verse, no specific deity or tīrtha is named; the focus is on the auspiciousness of the day for bathing and donation.