Shloka 132
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
गुरुं विप्रं देवतीर्थं तस्मात्सेवय षण्मुख । शिखायां तुलसीं कृत्वा यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्
guruṃ vipraṃ devatīrthaṃ tasmātsevaya ṣaṇmukha | śikhāyāṃ tulasīṃ kṛtvā yastu prāṇānparityajet
ஆகையால், ஓ ஷண்முகா! குரு, விப்ரர், தேவதீர்த்தம் ஆகியவற்றைச் சேவி. யார் சிகையில் துளசியை வைத்து உயிரைத் துறக்கிறாரோ—
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed to confirm the dialogue frame).
Concept: Serve guru, brāhmaṇa, and tīrtha; at life’s end, align the body and mind with Tulasi as a Vaishnava seal of surrender.
Application: Maintain respect and service to teachers and learned persons; visit sacred waters with humility; keep Tulasi leaves/mālā for worship and remembrance, especially in illness or end-of-life rites (within one’s tradition and medical ethics).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene river-ford with stone steps where a disciple bows to a seated guru and offers water to a learned brāhmaṇa. In the foreground, a dying devotee lies peacefully with a Tulasi sprig placed upon the śikhā, while a soft Vishnu-like radiance suggests protection at the threshold.","primary_figures":["Ṣaṇmukha (as addressed)","guru (ācārya)","brāhmaṇa scholar","dying devotee","Tulasi sprig (prominent)"],"setting":"Riverbank tīrtha with ghāṭa steps, small shrine, prayer flags, and offering vessels","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["silver moonlight","river teal","ash white","saffron cloth","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: river-ghāṭa scene with gold leaf highlights on water ripples and shrine; guru seated on a decorated āsana, brāhmaṇa receiving arghya; foreground devotee with Tulasi on śikhā, Vishnu’s aura behind; rich reds/greens, gem-like ornaments, traditional iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverbank at night with delicate moon glow; refined figures—guru, brāhmaṇa, and devotee; Tulasi sprig painted with fine detail; distant hills and temple silhouette, cool palette and gentle naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures at a stylized tīrtha; prominent Tulasi green accent on the devotee’s topknot; temple-wall composition with red/yellow/green pigments and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate ghāṭa framed by floral borders; Tulasi motif repeated in the border; central act of reverence to guru and brāhmaṇa; deep blues and gold with lotus patterns and hanging lamps."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft bell at a riverside shrine","low chanting of mantras","night insects","long pauses for contemplation"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मात्सेवय = तस्मात् + सेवय; यस्तु = यः + तु; प्राणान्परित्यजेत् = प्राणान् + परित्यजेत्
FAQs
It prioritizes reverential service (sevā) to three sanctifying supports of dharma: the guru, the learned brāhmaṇa (vipra), and sacred tīrthas (devatīrtha).
Tulasī is a major Vaiṣṇava sacred plant; placing it on the śikhā signals devotion and ritual purity, marking the person as oriented toward bhakti and sacred remembrance at life’s critical moments.
The verse frames spiritual progress as relational and practical: honoring teachers, the wise, and sacred places through service, rather than merely through belief or speech.