Shloka 28
Karmic Causality, Fate, and the Supremacy of Food-Charity
within Guru-tīrtha Glorification
तथैवात्मनि कर्माणि तिष्ठंति प्रभवंति च । तैलक्षयाद्यथा दीपो निर्वाणमधिगच्छति
tathaivātmani karmāṇi tiṣṭhaṃti prabhavaṃti ca | tailakṣayādyathā dīpo nirvāṇamadhigacchati
ฉันใด กรรมทั้งหลายก็ตั้งอยู่และบังเกิดขึ้นภายในอาตมันฉันนั้น; ดุจประทีปเมื่อสิ้นน้ำมันแล้ว ย่อมถึงความดับสนิท (นิรวาณ)
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Karmas abide within the self as latent potentials and arise again; when their fuel is exhausted, cessation occurs—like a lamp going out when oil ends.
Application: Treat habits as ‘fuel’: reduce harmful inputs (anger, greed), increase purifying practices (japa, vrata, charity), and cultivate steady remembrance so karmic momentum diminishes rather than reignites.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a quiet shrine-room, a single oil lamp burns steadily before a small Vishnu icon; within the flame, faint silhouettes of past actions appear like translucent seeds rising and dissolving. As the oil level drops, the flame gently diminishes, and the room fills with serene darkness that feels like release rather than loss.","primary_figures":["Oil lamp (deepa) as central symbol","A subtle Vishnu murti or Shaligrama on altar","Faint karmic silhouettes (symbolic)"],"setting":"Temple lamp-lit sanctum or a simple household puja corner with brass lamp, conch, and flowers.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit, serene fading glow","color_palette":["brass gold","flame amber","midnight blue","sandalwood beige","vermillion red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close-up sanctum scene with a brass deepa in the center, gold-leaf radiance around the flame; Vishnu icon with rich red-green textiles and gem-studded ornaments; subtle translucent motifs of seeds and action-symbols rising within the flame, ornate arch frame and lotus borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior with delicate shading; the lamp flame painted with fine gradations, a calm Vishnu icon in the background; karmic impressions shown as faint watercolor-like forms dissolving into the air; cool blues and warm amber interplay.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized lamp and altar with bold outlines; flame as a teardrop of bright yellow-red; symbolic karma-forms as patterned motifs within a circular aura; symmetrical temple-wall composition with traditional pigment palette.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central deepa framed by lotus garlands and tulasi-leaf borders; Vishnu/Krishna emblem above; the diminishing flame shown in a sequence of small panels like a narrative border; deep blue cloth ground with gold highlights and intricate floral filigree."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft lamp crackle","gentle bell","long silence","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथैव = तथा + एव; तिष्ठंति (पाठभेद) = तिष्ठन्ति; तैलक्षयाद्यथा = तैलक्षयात् + यथा; निर्वाणमधिगच्छति = निर्वाणम् + अधिगच्छति
FAQs
It compares the cessation of activity to a lamp that goes out when its oil is depleted, illustrating how action can come to an end when its sustaining causes are exhausted.
It says actions ‘remain’ and ‘arise’ with reference to the Self—pointing to the inner locus where tendencies and impulses are experienced, even if the Self itself is ultimately beyond action in many Indian philosophical readings.
It encourages reducing the ‘fuel’ of compulsive action—such as craving and attachment—so that restless karmic momentum naturally quiets, supporting a life of restraint, clarity, and liberation-oriented practice.