Shloka 23
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits
धेनूनां च शतं प्राज्ञैर्दातव्यं यज्ञसिद्धये । अष्टौ तु यज्ञवाहानां चत्वारिंशाधिकास्तथा
dhenūnāṃ ca śataṃ prājñairdātavyaṃ yajñasiddhaye | aṣṭau tu yajñavāhānāṃ catvāriṃśādhikāstathā
యజ్ఞసిద్ధి కొరకు జ్ఞానులు వంద పాలిచ్చే ఆవులను దానమివ్వాలి. అలాగే యజ్ఞవాహనాల నిమిత్తం ఎనిమిది మరియు నలభైకి మించినవి, అనగా నలభై ఎనిమిది దానం చేయాలి.
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Adhyaya 34)
Concept: Yajña attains siddhi (successful completion) when accompanied by proportionate dāna; ritual action is sealed by generosity.
Application: Treat any ‘sacred project’ (worship, service, vows) as incomplete without sharing resources—set aside a fixed portion for charity and support of those who sustain dharma.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast yajña-śālā with a blazing śrauta fire at the center, priests chanting while attendants lead a serene herd of milch-cows adorned with garlands and vermilion marks. The yajamāna stands with folded hands, offering the cows as dakṣiṇā; nearby are pack-animals bearing ritual vessels, symbolizing the ‘yajña-vāhana’ allotment.","primary_figures":["yajamāna (sacrificer)","ṛtviks (hotṛ, adhvaryu, udgātṛ, brahman)","attendants leading milch-cows","members of the sadas (assembly)"],"setting":"Vedic sacrificial enclosure with kuśa grass, altars, ladles, soma vessels, and orderly lines of gifted cattle and pack-animals at the perimeter.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","smoke-gray","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a grand yajña-śālā with the central sacred fire rendered in thick gold leaf, the yajamāna offering garlanded milch-cows as dakṣiṇā; priests in white with red borders, gem-studded ornaments on the cows’ harnesses, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate arch-like framing, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical sacrificial courtyard with delicate linework, soft hills in the distance, priests seated in a semicircle, a calm herd of cows with floral garlands, cool yet luminous palette, refined faces, detailed ritual implements, gentle atmospheric perspective.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the yajña fire as a stylized lotus-flame, priests with characteristic large eyes, cows in rhythmic procession, red-yellow-green dominant palette, temple-wall aesthetic with decorative borders of vines and conch motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional composition where the yajña becomes a lotus-filled mandala; ornate floral borders, cows and peacocks at the edges, deep indigo background with gold highlights, ritual vessels and tulip-like flames stylized, intricate textile patterns emphasizing abundance and sacred giving."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low Vedic chant drone","crackling sacrificial fire","soft cow-bells","wooden ladle taps","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राज्ञैः + दातव्यम् → प्राज्ञैर्दातव्यम्
FAQs
It emphasizes ritual-supporting charity: donating milch-cows and providing (or gifting) animals/resources connected with transporting or supporting the sacrifice, as a means to ensure yajña-siddhi (successful completion).
In Purāṇic dharma literature, cows symbolize sustenance and sacred prosperity; donating milch-cows is presented as a high form of dāna that supports priests, guests, and the sacrificial community, thereby strengthening the sacrifice’s intended fruition.
The verse links spiritual practice with responsibility: a sacrifice is not only an offering into fire but also a social and ethical act that includes generosity, provisioning, and care for those involved.