Shloka 5
Vena’s Fall into Adharma and the Prelude to Pṛthu’s Birth
न दानाध्ययनं विप्रास्तस्मिञ्छासति पार्थिवे । एवं धर्मप्रलोपोभून्महत्पापं प्रवर्तितम्
na dānādhyayanaṃ viprāstasmiñchāsati pārthive | evaṃ dharmapralopobhūnmahatpāpaṃ pravartitam
เมื่อกษัตริย์ผู้ครองแผ่นดินนั้นปกครองด้วยอธรรม พราหมณ์ทั้งหลายมิได้ให้ทานและมิได้ศึกษาเล่าเรียนพระเวท; ดังนี้ธรรมจึงเสื่อมสูญ และบาปใหญ่ก็แพร่หลาย
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the chapter context)
Concept: When rulers are unjust, even brāhmaṇas abandon dāna and adhyayana; dharma is not merely personal but ecosystemic.
Application: Do not let a corrupt environment cancel your disciplines: keep a minimum vow—daily study, charity, and worship—so dharma remains alive in your sphere.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A line of brāhmaṇas sits before unopened manuscripts, their hands empty where gifts should be offered; behind them, a marketplace hoards grain and gold. Above, a darkened dharma-wheel cracks, suggesting that the kingdom’s moral axis has shifted under an unjust crown.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇas (with manuscripts)","an unjust king (distant)","townspeople hoarding wealth"],"setting":"A learning hall (pāṭhaśālā) adjoining a temple courtyard, with the palace looming in the background","lighting_mood":"overcast, heavy air","color_palette":["lead gray","faded saffron","dusty white","dark maroon","muted teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: brāhmaṇas seated in a pāṭhaśālā with palm-leaf manuscripts closed, empty donation bowls, a distant king under a canopy; gold leaf highlights the manuscripts and temple arch to show what is being neglected; rich reds/greens with a somber gray wash, ornate borders with broken dharma-chakra motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate classroom scene with delicate faces, closed texts, and a quiet courtyard; distant palace rendered small but ominous; cool subdued palette, lyrical naturalism showing charity withheld—empty hands, unlit lamps.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized brāhmaṇas with expressive eyes, manuscripts and empty vessels; a looming king silhouette; bold outlines, earthy pigments, temple-wall composition emphasizing moral warning.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central empty offering plate before a temple, floral borders slightly withered; peacocks turned away; deep blue background with muted gold, suggesting the absence of dāna and the fading of auspiciousness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"grave","sound_elements":["distant thunder","soft lamenting drone (tanpura)","temple bell muted","pages rustling faintly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दानाध्ययनं = दान+अध्ययनम्; विप्रास्तस्मिन् = विप्राः+तस्मिन्; तस्मिञ्छासति = तस्मिन्+शासति (ञ्-आदेश); धर्मप्रलोपोभूत् = धर्मप्रलोपः+अभूत्; महत्पापं = महत्+पापम्; भून्महत् = अभूत्+महत् (पाठसन्धिः)।
FAQs
It teaches that unjust governance corrodes social-religious life: when a ruler is unrighteous, foundational duties like charity (dāna) and sacred learning (adhyayana) diminish, leading to the collapse of dharma.
They represent two pillars of dharmic culture—ethical generosity and preservation/transmission of sacred knowledge. The verse implies that when these stop, society’s moral and spiritual order weakens rapidly.
Rulers must uphold justice and dharma because governance shapes collective behavior; society, in turn, should safeguard learning and generosity, since their decline allows “great sin” to become normalized.