Shloka 22
Teaching on Karma-yoga
Discipline of Action as Worship
देवताभ्यर्चनं कुर्यात्पुष्पैः पत्रैर्यवांबुभिः । अभिवादनशीलः स्यान्नित्यं वृद्धेषु धर्मतः
devatābhyarcanaṃ kuryātpuṣpaiḥ patrairyavāṃbubhiḥ | abhivādanaśīlaḥ syānnityaṃ vṛddheṣu dharmataḥ
పుష్పాలు, పత్రాలు, యవాలు మరియు జలముతో దేవతలను సమర్చించవలెను. అలాగే ధర్మానుసారంగా పెద్దల పట్ల నిత్యం అభివాదనశీలుడై ఉండవలెను.
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from Svarga-khaṇḍa 3.51).
Concept: Devotional worship can be performed with accessible, pure offerings; reverence toward elders is itself dharma and a support for spiritual refinement.
Application: Offer something simple daily—water, a leaf, a flower—while cultivating respectful speech and gestures toward parents, teachers, and seniors.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A small household shrine glows with oil lamps as a devotee places fresh flowers, green leaves, a small bowl of barley, and a copper lota of water before the deity. In the background, the devotee bows respectfully to an elderly teacher seated on a kusa mat, linking worship and social reverence into one harmonious scene.","primary_figures":["householder devotee","household deity (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa icon or śālagrāma)","elder (vṛddha/guru)"],"setting":"domestic shrine corner with lamp, bell, copper vessels, flower plate, and simple seating","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","lotus pink","leaf green","copper bronze","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: intimate home-altar with Viṣṇu icon or śālagrāma on a pedestal, gold leaf radiance around the deity, devotee offering flowers, leaves, barley and water in ornate vessels, elder seated to one side receiving respectful greeting, rich reds/greens, decorative borders and jewel-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet interior with soft lamplight, delicate rendering of flower petals and barley grains, devotee bending in respectful abhivādana to an elder, refined facial expressions, cool shadows and warm highlights, minimal yet lyrical domestic architecture.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and flat pigments, shrine lamp as a bright focal point, stylized Viṣṇu presence, devotee and elder in iconic poses of offering and greeting, red-yellow-green palette with ornamental creeper borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate shrine scene framed by floral borders and lotus motifs, deep blue ground with gold highlights, offerings arranged symmetrically, peacocks and stylized vines in corners, central devotional focus reminiscent of Nathdwara textile aesthetics (adapted to Viṣṇu arcana)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["small hand bell","lamp crackle","soft footfalls","whispered mantras","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुर्यात्पुष्पैः = कुर्यात् + पुष्पैः; पत्रैर्यवांबुभिः = पत्रैः + यवाम्बुभिः; स्यान्नित्यम् = स्यात् + नित्यम्.
FAQs
The verse recommends simple, sattvic offerings: flowers (puṣpa), leaves (patra), barley (yava), and water (ambu).
It prescribes habitual respectful salutations—regularly greeting and honoring elders (vṛddha) as a matter of dharma.
Ritual devotion (pūjā) and social virtue (respect for elders) are presented together, implying that religious practice should be paired with ethical conduct.