Shloka 95
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
यस्य राज्ञः प्रजा राज्ये पच्यते नरकेषु सः । ये द्विजाः प्रतिगृह्णंति नृपस्य पापवर्तिनः
yasya rājñaḥ prajā rājye pacyate narakeṣu saḥ | ye dvijāḥ pratigṛhṇaṃti nṛpasya pāpavartinaḥ
พระราชาองค์ใดที่ใต้รัชกาลของพระองค์ ประชาราษฎร์ประหนึ่งถูกต้มทรมานดุจนรก พระราชานั้นย่อมต้องรับโทษเช่นนั้นเอง; และเหล่าทวิชะผู้รับทานจากกษัตริย์ผู้ประพฤติบาป ย่อมมีส่วนร่วมในบาปนั้น
Unspecified (narrative instruction within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue context; commonly framed as Pulastya instructing Bhīṣma in many Padma Purāṇa sections)
Concept: A ruler is karmically responsible for the condition of his subjects; accepting gifts from a sinful ruler implicates the recipient in that sin.
Application: Leaders: measure success by welfare and justice, not extraction; spiritual practitioners: scrutinize sources of support, avoid compromised patronage, keep livelihood clean.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king sits on a throne whose legs are bound by chains leading to his suffering subjects; as they toil and weep, the chains glow with karmic fire, showing that their torment returns to him. Nearby, a group of brāhmaṇas hesitate before accepting a lavish gift basket; one turns away toward a small Viṣṇu shrine, choosing purity over patronage.","primary_figures":["King (rājā)","Suffering subjects (prajā)","Brāhmaṇas (dvija)","A Vaiṣṇava priest at a Viṣṇu shrine (optional symbolic figure)"],"setting":"Royal court opening onto a city street where common people labor; a small shrine niche with Viṣṇu lamp emphasizes devotional conscience.","lighting_mood":"somber lamp-lit with moral radiance near the shrine","color_palette":["royal maroon","antique gold","smoke gray","deep teal","lamp amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: king on ornate throne with gold-leaf detailing; chains rendered with embossed gold leading to subjects in muted tones; brāhmaṇas with refined features and sacred threads; gift trays with jewel-like colors; a small Viṣṇu shrine with bright gold halo as the moral focal point; rich borders and traditional iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: court scene with nuanced emotion—hesitation, shame, resolve; delicate architecture and cityscape; soft teal and earth palette; subtle glow around the shrine; fine brushwork on gift baskets and garments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal king and brāhmaṇas with bold outlines; stylized chains linking to a procession of subjects; strong red/ochre/green palette; shrine lamp as a bright central accent; narrative clarity in a temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central moral emblem—Viṣṇu shrine with lotus border; surrounding vignettes show king, subjects, and the act of refusing tainted gifts; intricate floral patterns, deep blue/teal ground with gold highlights; peacocks at borders symbolizing discernment and purity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch","murmured mantra","city ambience fading into silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi; pratigṛhṇaṃti normalized as pratigṛhṇanti (anusvāra/orthographic variation).
FAQs
It warns that a king is morally accountable for the suffering caused under his rule; oppressive or sinful governance leads to grave karmic consequences.
Because accepting patronage from an unrighteous ruler is treated as complicity—sharing in the moral taint and consequences of the king’s wrongdoing.
It teaches accountability: rulers must protect and uphold dharma, and spiritual authorities must maintain integrity by refusing support rooted in adharma.