Shloka 108
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
एतौ दोषो परित्यज्य कुर्यादर्थार्जनं बुधः । अक्षयं लभते दानाद्वणिग्दोषैर्न लिप्यते
etau doṣo parityajya kuryādarthārjanaṃ budhaḥ | akṣayaṃ labhate dānādvaṇigdoṣairna lipyate
ఈ రెండు దోషాలను విడిచిపెట్టి జ్ఞాని ధనార్జన చేయాలి. దానమువల్ల అతడు అక్షయ పుణ్యాన్ని పొందుతాడు; వాణిజ్యదోషాలతో లిప్తుడుకాడు।
Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: By abandoning greed and deceit, the wise may pursue wealth; through dāna one gains imperishable merit and remains untainted by occupational defects.
Application: Keep livelihood ethical; practice regular giving (fixed percentage); dedicate earnings to Vishnu’s service (temple, feeding devotees, scripture support); use wealth as instrument, not identity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wise merchant stands before a small shrine, placing a portion of his honest earnings into a donation vessel while blessing a needy family and honoring a learned dvija. Behind him, two dark personifications—Greed and Deceit—fall away like discarded masks, while a soft, imperishable glow rises from the act of giving.","primary_figures":["wise merchant (buddha)","needy recipients","dvija","personifications of Lobha and Mṛṣā (shadow forms)","small Vishnu symbol/shrine"],"setting":"temple-adjacent courtyard with donation pot, scales set aside, and a simple Vishnu shrine or śālagrāma pedestal","lighting_mood":"divine radiance with gentle lamp-lit warmth","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","lotus pink","white sandalwood","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central donor before a Vishnu shrine, lavish gold-leaf radiance around the act of dāna; gem-studded ornaments, rich reds and greens; Lobha and Mṛṣā as dark stylized figures dissolving at the edges; ornate arch and traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene courtyard scene with delicate gestures of giving; subtle symbolic shadows of greed and deceit receding; cool refined palette with lyrical trees and temple steps; fine textile patterns and gentle facial expressions conveying śānta-virā blend.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, symmetrical composition; Vishnu shrine with characteristic mural eyes and ornaments; strong reds/yellows/greens; shadow-figures of faults rendered as dark curling forms; emphasis on moral victory through clean lines.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional charity scene framed by lotus and tulasi garlands; deep blue background with gold highlights; central Vishnu emblem above the donor; intricate floral borders and small cows/peacocks as auspicious witnesses, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch","coin placed in vessel","mantra hum","gentle silence after ‘akṣayam’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: doṣo → doṣau (dual intended with etau); dānādvaṇigdoṣairna → dānāt vaṇik-doṣaiḥ na; nikṣipedgoṣṭhe etc not in this verse.
FAQs
It teaches that wealth may be earned ethically by avoiding specific faults, and that charity transforms wealth into imperishable spiritual merit (akṣaya-phala).
It implies that commerce or wealth-seeking is not inherently blameworthy; the moral issue is unethical conduct. By avoiding the cited faults and giving in charity, one remains spiritually untainted.
It links artha to dharma by prescribing ethical restraint in earning and emphasizing dāna (charitable giving) as the means by which wealth yields lasting, spiritually beneficial results.