Shloka 180
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
पूरयस्व महाविप्र समुद्रं लोकभावनम् । यत्त्वया सलिलं पीतं तदस्मिन्पुनरुत्सृज
pūrayasva mahāvipra samudraṃ lokabhāvanam | yattvayā salilaṃ pītaṃ tadasminpunarutsṛja
హే మహావిప్రా! లోకభావనమైన సముద్రమును మరల నింపుము; నీవు త్రాగిన జలమును దీనిలోనే మళ్లీ విడిచిపెట్టుము.
Unspecified (a commanding voice addressing a mahāvipra; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma narrative frame in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: Even miraculous ascetic power must serve loka-saṅgraha (world-maintenance), not private display; what is taken from the cosmic order should be returned for universal welfare.
Application: Use power/resources responsibly: restore what you consume; align personal capability with collective good.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast, personified ocean lies diminished, its shoreline pulled back like a breath held too long. A commanding, unseen divine voice reverberates through the sky as a great mahāvipra stands poised, palms cupped as if holding the last trace of swallowed waters, while devas watch in anxious wonder.","primary_figures":["Mahāvipra (ascetic sage)","Devas (assembled gods)","Disembodied divine voice (daivī vāk)"],"setting":"Cosmic seashore at the edge of creation, with receding waves, conch shells on exposed sands, and distant celestial chariots hovering above.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep ocean indigo","sea-foam white","conch ivory","sun-gold","storm-cloud gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: cosmic shoreline with the diminished Samudra rendered as a regal, wave-crowned presence; the mahāvipra in saffron robes with sacred thread, devas in jeweled crowns; heavy gold leaf on ornaments, wave crests, and halo-like radiance of the commanding divine voice; rich reds, emerald greens, and indigo sea with embossed gold highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical seashore with delicate wave lines and pale foam; the sage calm yet resolute, devas clustered in soft pastel garments; refined faces, thin ink outlines, atmospheric sky gradients, distant hills like dreamlike horizons; emphasis on quiet awe and moral gravity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized ocean bands, the sage with elongated eyes and serene expression; devas in traditional mural iconography; warm red-ochre background with green-blue sea, yellow highlights, and a radiant speech-cloud motif for the divine command.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotus and conch motifs framing a symbolic ocean; central sage figure with decorative wave patterns; celestial attendants arranged symmetrically; deep blues and gold, intricate floral filigree, and a Vaishnava aura suggesting Viṣṇu’s preserving order even if not directly shown."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","distant thunder","wind over water","temple bells (faint)","silence after command"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्त्वया = यत् + त्वया; तदस्मिन् = तत् + अस्मिन्; पुनरुत्सृज = पुनः + उत्सृज (visarga→र् before vowel).
FAQs
The verse commands a great sage (mahāvipra) to restore the ocean by releasing back the water that had been drunk, emphasizing replenishment and balance.
It suggests a dharmic principle: what is taken from the world—especially life-supporting resources—should be restored, maintaining harmony rather than depletion.
Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa often focuses on cosmic maintenance and orderly creation; here, the ocean as “lokabhāvana” (world-sustainer) is restored, reinforcing preservation of cosmic functions.