Shloka 52
The Procedure for the Consecration of a Pond
हेमपात्रीं च शय्यां च विप्राय च निवेदयेत् । ततः सहस्रं विप्राणामथवाऽष्टशतं तथा
hemapātrīṃ ca śayyāṃ ca viprāya ca nivedayet | tataḥ sahasraṃ viprāṇāmathavā'ṣṭaśataṃ tathā
ఒక బ్రాహ్మణునికి స్వర్ణపాత్రం మరియు శయ్యను సమర్పించాలి; ఆ తరువాత వెయ్యి మంది బ్రాహ్మణులకు—లేదా అలాగే ఎనిమిది వందల మందికి—దానం చేయాలి।
Unspecified in provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Adhyāya 27).
Concept: Dāna (gift-giving) to qualified brāhmaṇas, scaled to a grand communal feeding, is a meritorious completion-act for public works and sacred undertakings.
Application: Support community welfare and sacred institutions without ostentation; give responsibly to learned/ethical recipients; treat charity as a completion of one’s projects (home, land, public benefit).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A consecration pavilion beside a newly finished lotus-pond: a householder presents a gleaming golden vessel and a finely woven bed to a serene brāhmaṇa, while rows of invited brāhmaṇas sit ready for a communal offering. The atmosphere is orderly and sacred—hands in añjali, ritual vessels aligned, and the pond’s still water reflecting the rite’s purity.","primary_figures":["pious householder (yajamāna)","brāhmaṇa recipient","assembled brāhmaṇas","attendants with offerings"],"setting":"Ritual maṇḍapa near a newly built taṭāka; kusa-grass seats, kalashas, ladles, and offering trays; distant trees and a small shrine.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["gold leaf","sandalwood beige","lotus pink","deep maroon","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a yajamāna offering a gold vessel and ornate bed to a dignified brāhmaṇa beside a lotus-pond consecration pavilion, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, stylized lotuses, symmetrical composition, traditional South Indian iconographic detailing, intricate textile patterns on the bed and garments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a calm riverside/pondside consecration scene with delicate linework—householder gifting a golden pot and bed to a brāhmaṇa, long rows of seated brāhmaṇas awaiting bhojana, soft pastel architecture, lyrical trees, distant hills, refined faces, cool airy palette with subtle gold accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures in a temple-courtyard near a lotus-pond, the donor presenting a golden vessel and bed to a brāhmaṇa, rhythmic arrangement of seated brāhmaṇas, natural pigment reds/yellows/greens, characteristic large eyes, ornamental borders, ritual vessels emphasized with stylized shine.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional charity tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs—rows of brāhmaṇas seated for bhojana, golden vessel offerings in the foreground, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks near the pond edge, ornate textile patterns, Nathdwara-inspired symmetry and decorative abundance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","murmured mantras","rustle of kusa grass","distant water lapping"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viprāṇām + athavā → viprāṇāmathavā; athavā + aṣṭaśatam → athavā'ṣṭaśatam (avagraha).
FAQs
It prescribes gifting valuable items—specifically a golden vessel and a bed—to a brāhmaṇa, followed by charitable giving directed toward a large number of brāhmaṇas.
Such numbers function as traditional ritual benchmarks indicating the scale of charitable distribution; the verse allows an alternative count (800) alongside the ideal (1000).
The verse foregrounds dharma through generosity: offering wealth and comfort to qualified recipients and supporting many through large-scale giving.