Shloka 95
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
निपातयंति ये तीर्थे ते प्रेता नात्र संशयः । दानमानार्चनैर्नैव यैर्विप्रा भुवि तर्पिताः
nipātayaṃti ye tīrthe te pretā nātra saṃśayaḥ | dānamānārcanairnaiva yairviprā bhuvi tarpitāḥ
దానం, గౌరవం, పూజల ద్వారా భూమిపై బ్రాహ్మణులను తృప్తిపరచకుండానే తీర్థంలో (శవాన్ని) పడవేసేవారు ప్రేతులవుతారు—ఇందులో సందేహం లేదు.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 60; likely a narrator/teacher voice in the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa dialogue tradition)
Concept: Ritual acts at sacred places must be accompanied by ethical duty—especially honoring and satisfying brāhmaṇas—otherwise the act yields preta-state rather than merit.
Application: When performing rites for ancestors or the departed, pair pilgrimage/immersion with sincere charity, respectful hospitality, and worship; avoid treating sacred places as transactional shortcuts.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a misty riverbank tīrtha, mourners prepare to consign a body to the sacred waters, but the atmosphere turns ominous as shadowy preta-forms hover—suggesting that sanctity alone cannot redeem neglect of dāna and brāhmaṇa-satkara. A lone brāhmaṇa stands aside with an unreceived offering plate, while the river glows with indifferent holiness.","primary_figures":["mourners performing antyeṣṭi","brāhmaṇa (unhonored)","shadowy pretas","river-deity presence (subtle)"],"setting":"Sacred ford with stone ghats, banyan tree, small shrine, offering vessels left unused","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ash gray","river-silver","deep indigo","lamp-flame amber","smoke black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred ghat scene with ornate riverbank shrine, gold-leaf halo around the tīrtha’s sanctity contrasted with dark preta silhouettes; mourners in traditional attire, a brāhmaṇa holding an empty pātra; rich reds and greens in garments, heavy gold embellishment on shrine lamps and vessels, gem-studded borders emphasizing moral gravity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate riverside antyeṣṭi tableau at a tīrtha, cool blues and silvers of water, fine linework for hovering preta-forms, expressive faces showing fear and regret; detailed foliage and stepped ghats, restrained palette with lyrical naturalism and subtle moral symbolism (unoffered gifts).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized ghats and river, pretas as dark translucent figures with exaggerated eyes; warm temple-lamp yellows and reds against deep greens; brāhmaṇa figure central with dignified posture, ritual objects rendered with iconic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank tīrtha framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; instead of Krishna-centered joy, a didactic scene—offerings and lamps arranged symmetrically, pretas as faint motifs in the border; deep blues, gold accents, and patterned textiles conveying sacred order disrupted by neglect."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells (distant)","conch shell (faint)","night insects","ritual fire crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nātra → न अत्र; dānamānārcanairnaiva → दान-मान-अर्चनैः न एव; yairviprā → यैः विप्राः
FAQs
It criticizes performing a rite of casting/immersing the deceased at a tīrtha while neglecting the accompanying duty of satisfying brāhmaṇas through charity, respect, and worship.
It treats dāna (and honoring worthy recipients) as an essential component of the rite; without it, the act is considered incomplete and spiritually harmful.
Sacred actions are not merely about location (a tīrtha) but about right conduct—generosity, respect, and proper ritual responsibility toward others.