Shloka 53
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
भ्रूणं च घातयेद्यस्तु शिशुं वा आतुरं गुरुम् । ब्रह्महा स्वयमेव स्यान्न तु यं परिकीर्तयेत्
bhrūṇaṃ ca ghātayedyastu śiśuṃ vā āturaṃ gurum | brahmahā svayameva syānna tu yaṃ parikīrtayet
ఎవడు భ్రూణాన్ని, లేదా శిశువును, లేదా రోగగ్రస్త గురువును హతమార్చుతాడో, అతడు తానే బ్రహ్మహత్యకుడవుతాడు; అతనిని కీర్తించి పొగడరాదు.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact dialogue pair not provided in input)
Concept: Harming the most vulnerable (embryo/child) and the guru is treated as brahmahatyā in moral gravity; such a person is unworthy of honorific remembrance.
Application: Guard speech and action from cruelty; protect dependents; treat teachers/elders with care, especially in illness; refuse to glorify or platform those who commit severe harm.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn dharma-sabha: an aged, fevered guru lies on a low cot under a canopy, while a sage points to a palm-leaf śāstra, warning a trembling man whose shadow looms over a cradle and a pregnant mother. The atmosphere is heavy with ethical consequence, as if invisible scales weigh the act as brahmahatyā.","primary_figures":["ailing guru (ācārya)","pregnant woman","infant/child","dharma-preaching sage","repentant offender"],"setting":"interior of a traditional āśrama hall with sacred fire, palm-leaf manuscripts, and a cradle near the doorway","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoldering amber","ash gray","deep maroon","sandalwood beige","muted gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-sabha inside an āśrama, sage holding palm-leaf śāstra in one hand and abhaya gesture in the other, an ailing guru on a cot, a cradle and a pregnant mother in the foreground, ornate pillars and arch, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography, solemn expressions, intricate textile patterns.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate āśrama interior with delicate linework, a sage admonishing an offender, the sick guru resting, mother and child rendered with tenderness, cool earthy palette with soft washes, refined faces, minimal architecture, lyrical naturalism, subtle moral tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments, the sage and guru with large expressive eyes, stylized cradle and manuscripts, warm red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, symmetrical composition emphasizing dharma’s warning.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma tableau framed by lotus and tulasi-like floral borders, central sage with scripture, side vignettes of guru and child, deep indigo background with gold detailing, intricate motifs and patterned textiles, devotional moral allegory rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","soft mridang pulse","crackling sacred fire","brief silence after key words"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ghātayedyastu = घातयेत् + यः + तु; syānna = स्यात् + न.
FAQs
It classifies the killing of an embryo, a child, or an ailing teacher as an extremely grave sin, equated with brahma-hatyā (the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa), and warns against honoring such a person.
Because the guru is viewed as a foundational protector of dharma and knowledge; harming an ailing preceptor is presented as a moral transgression severe enough to be counted among the highest sins.
Not directly; it is primarily a dharma-ethical injunction about heinous acts and their moral status, rather than a teaching about sacred geography or devotional practice.