Shloka 139
Puṣkara Mahatmya: Brahmā’s Lotus-Tīrtha, Sacrifice, Initiation, and Kṣetra-Dharma
एकस्मिन्निहते यस्मात्कोटिर्भवति घातिता । एकं वेदांतगं विप्रं भोजयेच्छ्रद्धयान्वितः
ekasminnihate yasmātkoṭirbhavati ghātitā | ekaṃ vedāṃtagaṃ vipraṃ bhojayecchraddhayānvitaḥ
ஒருவரை கொல்வது கோடி கொலைக்கு ஒப்பாகக் கருதப்படுவதால், வேதாந்தத்தில் நிலைபெற்ற ஒரே பிராமணனுக்குக் கூட श्रद्धையுடன் உணவளிக்க வேண்டும்.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 15)
Concept: Because killing even one being carries immense karmic weight, one should counteract harm through śraddhā-filled feeding (bhojana-dāna) to a Vedānta-established brāhmaṇa.
Application: Offer food respectfully to a worthy recipient (teacher, monk, needy) with humility; reduce harm in diet and speech; cultivate ‘compassionate accounting’—offset unavoidable harm by deliberate charity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A humble householder kneels, offering a leaf-plate meal with folded hands to a serene Vedānta-knowing brāhmaṇa whose eyes rest in quiet realization. Behind them, a symbolic scale shows a dark weight labeled ‘hiṃsā’ being balanced and lifted by a radiant weight labeled ‘śraddhā-dāna,’ while subtle light spreads across the home.","primary_figures":["Vedānta-stha brāhmaṇa","devout householder donor","personified Śraddhā as a soft radiance"],"setting":"Courtyard with tulsi-less simple altar, water pot, and a small sacred fire lamp; village home ambiance.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm saffron","terracotta","cream white","leaf green","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: donor offering food to seated brāhmaṇa, gold leaf halo and ornate arch, rich red-green textiles, embossed gold on vessels and lamp, gem-like highlights, symmetrical devotional composition emphasizing dāna.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate domestic courtyard, delicate gestures of offering, soft dawn gradient, fine textile patterns, gentle facial expressions, minimal ornamentation with lyrical realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized donor and brāhmaṇa, warm yellow-red palette, decorative border, lamp-lit courtyard, clear iconographic hand gestures of offering and blessing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central offering scene framed by lotus and floral borders, symbolic balance motif rendered as ornamental medallion, deep blue or maroon ground with gold detailing, intricate patterns on vessels and garments."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["clinking water pot","soft bell","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ekasminnihate = ekasmin + nihate; yasmātkoṭiḥ = yasmāt + koṭiḥ; koṭirbhavati = koṭiḥ + bhavati; bhojayecchraddhayānvitaḥ = bhojayet + śraddhayā + anvitaḥ.
FAQs
It recommends feeding a single brāhmaṇa who is established in Vedānta, and doing so with śraddhā (faith).
It uses hyperbole to stress that even one act of killing carries immense demerit, while a focused act of charity—feeding a realized Vedāntin brāhmaṇa—can be a powerful meritorious counter-practice.
It emphasizes restraint from violence (ahiṃsā) and encourages reparative, faith-filled generosity directed toward spiritual learning and those grounded in it.