Shloka 37
Rāma’s Meeting with Agastya: Gift-Ethics (Dāna) and the Tale of King Śveta
अगस्त्य उवाच । न च प्रतिग्रहे दोषो गृहीते पार्थिवैर्नृप । भवान्वै तारणे शक्तस्त्रैलोक्यस्यापि राघव
agastya uvāca | na ca pratigrahe doṣo gṛhīte pārthivairnṛpa | bhavānvai tāraṇe śaktastrailokyasyāpi rāghava
अगस्त्य उवाच—हे नृप, पार्थिवैर्गृहीते प्रतिग्रहे दोषो नास्ति। हे राघव, भवान् त्रैलोक्यस्यापि तारणे शक्तः।
Agastya
Concept: For rulers, accepting gifts in proper context is not inherently दोष; kings can transform wealth into protection and uplift—becoming instruments of deliverance.
Application: Do not reject responsibility out of fear of impurity; learn the rules of ethical receiving and redistribution. Use authority to protect the vulnerable and support spiritual life.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sage Agastya, compact yet radiant with tapas, addresses Rāma with firm compassion, as if placing a mantle of responsibility upon him. Rāma stands poised with bow at his side, listening with humility; behind them, the forest hermitage glows with ascetic power, hinting that the fate of the three worlds rests on dharmic action.","primary_figures":["Agastya","Rāma (Rāghava)","attendant sages","a kingly retinue (subtle)"],"setting":"forest āśrama with a small yajña-śālā, deer moving quietly, and sacred trees; a path suggesting the Ramayana wilderness","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","forest green","sunlit gold","earth brown","white ash"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Agastya with gold halo seated near a yajña fire, pointing in instruction; Rāma in sapphire-blue garments with a subtle gold aura, bow and quiver present; lavish gold leaf on halos, ornaments, and fire altar; rich reds/greens in the border, temple-like symmetry despite forest setting.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical Himalayan-forest aesthetic; Agastya small-bodied, intense-eyed, speaking to a gentle-faced Rāma; delicate foliage, soft gradients, refined linework; cool greens and blues with warm golden highlights on the hermitage fire.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized Rāma with characteristic eyes, Agastya near a bright sacrificial flame; strong red/yellow/green palette; ornamental vines and geometric borders; emphasis on heroic calm and spiritual authority.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Rāma and Agastya framed by lotus and tulasi borders; deep blue ground with gold motifs; peacocks and cows at margins; intricate floral patterns suggesting dharma spreading to the three worlds."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","forest birds","yajna fire crackle","soft drum (mridang-like)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अगस्त्य उवाच → अगस्त्यः उवाच (विसर्ग-लोप); पार्थिवैर्नृप → पार्थिवैः नृप; भवान्वै → भवान् वै; शक्तस्त्रैलोक्यस्यापि → शक्तः त्रैलोक्यस्य अपि
FAQs
It frames a specific exemption: accepting is not blameworthy when it is an established royal practice (“received by kings”), implying context-sensitive dharma rather than an absolute rule.
“Rāghava” refers to Rāma, descendant of the Raghu dynasty. Agastya praises his capacity to “deliver/save,” hyperbolically extending it to the welfare of the three worlds.
The verse highlights discernment in ethical rules: actions like accepting gifts are judged by role (kingly duty) and broader welfare, not by a single rigid standard.