Shloka 64
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
न संहताभ्यां पाणिभ्यां कंडूयेदात्मनः शिरः । न लौकिकैस्तवैर्देवांस्तोषयेद्वाक्पतेरपि
na saṃhatābhyāṃ pāṇibhyāṃ kaṃḍūyedātmanaḥ śiraḥ | na laukikaistavairdevāṃstoṣayedvākpaterapi
न संहताभ्यां पाणिभ्यां कण्डूयेदात्मनः शिरः। न लौकिकैस्तवैर्देवांस्तोषयेद्वाक्पतेरपि॥
Unspecified (didactic injunction; exact speaker not indicated in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Devotion is not mere social praise; it requires śuddha-vāk (purified speech) and śāstric orientation.
Application: Choose prayers aligned with tradition; avoid using worship as networking or performance. Cultivate mindful bodily etiquette even in small acts.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned priest instructs a young devotee before a shrine: one hand indicates a palm-leaf manuscript of hymns while the other gestures toward the deity, teaching that praise must be sacred, not worldly. The devotee listens with folded hands, speech restrained, as incense smoke rises in disciplined spirals.","primary_figures":["Temple teacher (ācārya)","Young devotee","Bṛhaspati (symbolic presence)","Vishnu (murti)"],"setting":"Library corner of a temple (grantha-bhāṇḍāra) opening into the sanctum; palm-leaf manuscripts, ink pot, and a small altar.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["antique gold","palm-leaf tan","indigo","smoke gray","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: an ācārya beside a Viṣṇu shrine holding palm-leaf stotras, instructing a devotee in proper praise; gold leaf radiance around the deity, rich vermilion backdrop, ornate jewelry, brass lamps and incense, emphasizing śāstric speech over worldly flattery.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate temple library scene with delicate lines, an elder teacher pointing to a manuscript while a devotee listens; soft dawn light, cool indigo shadows, refined faces, subtle floral borders, a small Viṣṇu icon in the background niche.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, natural pigments, a seated guru-figure teaching before a lamp-lit Viṣṇu shrine; stylized manuscripts and ritual objects, expressive eyes, red/yellow/green palette, conveying disciplined vāṇī.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa shrine framed by lotus and manuscript motifs, devotees offering measured stuti; ornate borders, deep blue field with gold highlights, peacocks at corners symbolizing refined speech."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["page rustle","temple bells","incense crackle","soft drone (tanpura)","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kaṃḍūyedātmanaḥ = kaṃḍūyet + ātmanaḥ; laukikaistavaiḥ = laukikaiḥ + stavaiḥ; devāṃstoṣayet = devān + toṣayet; vākpaterapi = vākpateḥ + api.
FAQs
It discourages scratching one’s head with both hands joined together, presenting it as improper personal conduct.
It suggests that merely “worldly” or superficial praise is not an appropriate means to truly please the gods, even a deity associated with sacred speech like Vākpati (Bṛhaspati).
Outer behavior and inner intention both matter: proper decorum is expected, and worship should be sincere and spiritually grounded rather than merely conventional or performative.