Shloka 35

Prahlada's Instructions to Bali — Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

दासीदासमलङ्कारमन्नं षड्रससंयुतम् पुरुषोत्तमस्य तुष्ट्यर्थं प्रदेयं सार्वकालिकम्

Transliteration

dāsīdāsamalaṅkāramannaṃ ṣaḍrasasaṃyutam puruṣottamasya tuṣṭyarthaṃ pradeyaṃ sārvakālikam

Translation

दासीदासालङ्कारान्नं षड्रससंयुतं च पुरुषोत्तमस्य तुष्ट्यर्थं सर्वकाले प्रदातव्यम्।

Speakers

• Likely the narrator/ṛṣi-teacher addressing an inquirer (culminating rule: certain gifts are ‘always’ appropriate).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Puruṣottama)

Key Themes

• Dāna (Charity)
• Sārvakālika-dāna (perpetually valid gifts)
• Hospitality/feeding (anna-dāna)
• Ritual completeness via ṣaḍ-rasa

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What are the ‘six tastes’ (ṣaḍ-rasa) and why are they mentioned?

Ṣaḍ-rasa refers to sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Mentioning them signals a complete, nourishing meal—an ideal of hospitality and fullness—making anna-dāna ritually and ethically ‘whole’.

How should ‘giving servants (dāsa/dāsī)’ be understood today?

Historically, such prescriptions reflect older socio-economic realities of household service and dependency. In contemporary ethical practice, it is best interpreted as supporting livelihoods—e.g., funding wages, sponsoring employment, or providing long-term maintenance—rather than transferring persons as property.

Why is this dāna called ‘sārvakālika’ (always valid) unlike the month-specific gifts?

The text distinguishes between month-linked observances and universally meritorious acts. Feeding (anna), supporting dependents/attendants, and offering basic prosperity-items (ornaments/resources) are presented as perpetually pleasing to Puruṣottama, independent of calendrical timing.