Shloka 3
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
न राज्ञः प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न शूद्रात्पतितादपि । न चान्यस्मादशक्तश्चेन्निंदितान्वर्जयेद्बुधः
na rājñaḥ pratigṛhṇīyānna śūdrātpatitādapi | na cānyasmādaśaktaścenniṃditānvarjayedbudhaḥ
बुधः राज्ञः प्रतिग्रहं न गृह्णीयात्, न शूद्रात्, न पतितादपि। अनापदि च निन्दितेभ्योऽन्येभ्यश्च प्रतिग्रहं वर्जयेत्।
Unspecified (narratorial/didactic instruction within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Pratigraha-niyama: avoid accepting gifts from morally compromising sources; unless in distress, a wise person should refuse blameworthy donations to preserve inner purity.
Application: Practice ethical boundaries in funding and favors: decline benefits tied to exploitation, corruption, or coercion; if dependent, seek transparent, dharmic support and keep accounts clean.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative sage stands at a threshold as emissaries offer lavish gifts—coins, cloth, and vessels—while shadowy hints of their sources (a harsh king’s court, a fallen man’s vice) appear behind them. The sage gently raises a palm in refusal, choosing a simple begging bowl and a clear conscience over glittering wealth.","primary_figures":["a wise ascetic/brāhmaṇa figure","royal emissary","a morally fallen donor figure (symbolic)"],"setting":"Hermitage gateway with a distant palace silhouette on one side and a dim alley of vice on the other; the hermitage remains bright and uncluttered.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a moral chiaroscuro","color_palette":["leaf green","sunlit gold","clay brown","indigo shadow","linen white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sage refusing gifts at an ornate doorway; emissaries with trays of coins and silk, palace backdrop; gold leaf used for coins and halos, rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing, strong iconographic clarity of renunciation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined moral scene with delicate gestures—sage’s raised hand, emissary’s bowed posture; soft forest palette, distant palace in cool haze, subtle narrative symbolism, elegant textiles and calm expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—sage in white/ochre, emissaries in royal colors; symbolic split background (palace vs. dark vice lane); flat pigments with rhythmic borders, large expressive eyes emphasizing discernment.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional-ethical banner—central renunciant with lotus border, trays of gifts stylized as motifs; deep blue and gold accents, floral filigree, peacocks near the hermitage symbolizing purity and vigilance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft footsteps on leaves","distant court drums (faint)","temple bell in hermitage","wind through trees"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न = प्रतिगृह्णीयात् + न; शूद्रात्पतितादपि = शूद्रात् + पतितात् + अपि; चान्यस्मादशक्तश्चेत् = च + अन्यस्मात् + अशक्तः + चेत्; चेन्निंदितान्वर्जयेद्बुधः = चेत् + निन्दितान् + वर्जयेत् + बुधः.
FAQs
It advises restraint in accepting gifts (pratigraha), warning that gifts from certain sources can be spiritually compromising; a wise person avoids blameworthy donations unless compelled by genuine distress.
In dharma literature, royal gifts can carry obligations, political entanglement, or moral risk tied to the king’s conduct; the verse cautions against such compromising dependence.
It implies necessity: if one is helpless or in serious need, the strict avoidance may be relaxed; otherwise, one should refrain from accepting censured gifts.