Shloka 37
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
न समं तु दिनैकं तु जलस्य धर्मतो भृशम् । धनिनो मानसं दुःखं मोघार्थं च परेऽहनि
na samaṃ tu dinaikaṃ tu jalasya dharmato bhṛśam | dhanino mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ moghārthaṃ ca pare'hani
జల విషయమున ఒక దినమూ మరొక దినముతో సమానము కాదు; ధర్మరీతిగా దాని స్వభావము బహుగా మారిపోతుంది. ధనవంతులకు మనోదుఃఖము కలుగుతుంది, మరునాడు వారి ప్రయత్నమూ వ్యర్థమగును।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 57; not stated in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Worldly calculations—especially by the wealthy—are unstable; even ‘one day’ can change the dharma/outcome, making efforts fruitless without right timing and right intention.
Application: Do not postpone dharmic acts; give and serve promptly, without over-calculating profit; cultivate steadiness by anchoring charity and ritual in devotion rather than anxiety.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wealthy patron sits sleepless beside ledgers and coin-chests while, outside, the sacred tank’s water level shifts with time—ripples, evaporation, and fresh inflow under changing skies. The next day, his planned offering is shown as delayed and diminished, while a simple devotee offers water immediately with calm faith.","primary_figures":["wealthy householder","simple devotee","tīrtha attendant/priest"],"setting":"A town near a sacred tank: inner chamber with lamps and accounts; outer ghāṭa with water reflecting the sky’s change.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["smoky indigo","lamp-flame amber","muted gold","stone gray","water teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: split-scene composition—left, a rich man amid gold coins and palm-leaf accounts, face tense; right, a glowing puṣkariṇī with a devotee offering a kalasha; gold leaf highlights on coins and halo-like radiance around the water vessel; deep reds and greens with ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate night interior with soft lamp light on the anxious wealthy man; outside, cool-toned ghāṭa and shimmering water under a pale moon; delicate expressions, fine textiles, and a quiet moral contrast between anxiety and serenity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines; the wealthy man’s furrowed brow and the devotee’s calm gaze; rhythmic wave patterns in the water; strong red-yellow-green palette with deep blue night sky.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic rendering—central sacred water pot framed by lotus borders; on one side, scattered coins and a restless figure; on the other, a composed devotee; intricate floral motifs, deep blues, and gold accents emphasizing the moral lesson."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["night insects","distant temple bell","soft water ripples","quiet tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dinaikaṃ = dina-ekam; pare'hani = pare + ahani.
FAQs
It highlights impermanence and unpredictability—using water as an example—and notes that wealth does not prevent mental suffering; plans can become futile as circumstances change.
Water is a common Purāṇic symbol for changeability: its state, availability, and effects vary quickly, illustrating how conditions shift from one day to the next.
Do not rely solely on external security such as wealth; cultivate steadiness and dharmic discernment, since outcomes can change and worldly efforts may become fruitless.