Shloka 119
The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity
Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients
अन्यायेषु रता यस्य जाया विप्रस्य कस्य च । तस्मै दानं न दातव्यं यदि ब्रह्मसमो भवेत्
anyāyeṣu ratā yasya jāyā viprasya kasya ca | tasmai dānaṃ na dātavyaṃ yadi brahmasamo bhavet
ไม่พึงถวายทานแก่พราหมณ์ผู้นั้น—ไม่ว่าเขาจะเป็นผู้ใด—ซึ่งภรรยาหมกมุ่นในอธรรม แม้เขาจะเสมอด้วยพระพรหมก็ตาม
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue).
Concept: Dāna is invalidated when the household is rooted in adharma; social-religious authority is not a substitute for ethical conduct.
Application: Do not let prestige, titles, or reputation override ethical evaluation; support households and leaders who uphold integrity and non-exploitative conduct.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense dharma-court moment: the sage’s raised hand halts a golden gift before it reaches a proud brāhmaṇa, while the king watches, startled. Behind the brāhmaṇa, a faint narrative shadow shows a household scene of moral disorder, contrasting with the luminous dharma-circle around the altar.","primary_figures":["Narrator/sage","Mahārāja (king)","Brāhmaṇa recipient (symbolic)","Brāhmaṇa’s wife (shadow vignette)"],"setting":"Royal sabhā with a dāna-altar; moral ‘shadow vignette’ behind the main figures","lighting_mood":"dramatic","color_palette":["molten gold","crimson","charcoal gray","ivory","deep green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dramatic dāna interruption—sage with commanding gesture stopping a gold vessel mid-offering; king on jeweled throne; recipient brāhmaṇa with ornate garments; behind him a subtle shadow-vignette of household adharma; heavy gold leaf on altar, halos, and ornaments; rich crimson and emerald textiles, temple-like pillars, symmetrical composition with moral contrast.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court interior with delicate expressions; the sage gently but firmly restrains the gift; the king’s face shows moral awakening; a faint monochrome vignette behind the recipient suggests domestic wrongdoing; cool palette with selective warm gold accents, lyrical restraint and fine detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense reds and yellows; central gesture of prohibition; the brāhmaṇa recipient framed by a darker background band indicating adharma; the altar glows in bright pigment; stylized eyes and ornaments, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central panel of dharma discernment framed by lotus and floral borders; the halted gift depicted as a golden arc; peripheral medallion shows a cautionary domestic scene in muted tones; deep indigo background with gold filigree, ornate textile patterns, devotional framing even in moral instruction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sharp bell strike","court hush","conch shell (brief)","low drum accent","silence after the injunction"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major external sandhi beyond standard euphony; brahma + samaḥ → brahmasamaḥ (समास/समाहार).
FAQs
It teaches that charity (dāna) should be given with discernment: moral conduct in a household matters, and social or spiritual status alone is not a sufficient qualification to receive gifts.
It is a rhetorical intensifier: even the highest conceivable honor or status does not override the disqualifying factor of association with persistent adharma in the immediate household.
No. It sets a restriction for dāna, emphasizing that the recipient’s ethical life (and here, the household’s conduct) is relevant when choosing a worthy recipient.