Shloka 18
The Glory of Charity: Land-Gifts, Śālagrāma Donation, and Food–Water as Supreme Gifts
तुलापुरुषदानेन यत्पुण्यं लभते जनः । शालग्रामशिलां दत्त्वा तस्मात्कोटिगुणं लभेत्
tulāpuruṣadānena yatpuṇyaṃ labhate janaḥ | śālagrāmaśilāṃ dattvā tasmātkoṭiguṇaṃ labhet
บุญใดที่ชนได้จากทาน ‘ตุลาปุรุษ’ คือการชั่งบุรุษแล้วถวายทาน เมื่อถวายศิลา ศาลคราม ย่อมได้บุญยิ่งกว่านั้นเป็นโกฏิเท่า
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Donation of Śālagrāma surpasses even grand public gifts because it is direct service to Viṣṇu’s manifest emblem.
Application: If unable to perform extravagant charities, prioritize Viṣṇu-centered offerings: support temples, provide worship materials, or facilitate Śālagrāma/Tulasī worship with proper guidance and purity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A golden balance scale (tulā) stands beside a riverbank shrine, recalling tulāpuruṣa-dāna, while a devotee reverently offers a dark, spiral-marked Śālagrāma on a lotus pedestal. The air glows with Viṣṇu’s presence—subtle conch and discus motifs in the clouds—signaling the crore-fold merit.","primary_figures":["devotee donor","brāhmaṇa officiant","Śālagrāma-śilā (as Viṣṇu emblem)","Viṣṇu (subtle theophany, optional)"],"setting":"Gandakī riverbank with small shrine, tulā (weighing scale), offering tray with flowers and sandal paste","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep basalt black","lotus pink","turmeric yellow","conch white","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Śālagrāma on a lotus pedestal with embossed gold conch-and-cakra aureole; devotee and brāhmaṇa near a ceremonial tulā scale; rich reds/greens, heavy gold leaf, gem-like highlights, Gandakī river rendered as stylized blue bands with gold ripples.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene riverbank with delicate reeds; a tulā scale to one side, the Śālagrāma offered on a small altar; soft sky where conch and discus appear as pale motifs; cool blues and gentle pinks, lyrical naturalism and fine linework.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; Śālagrāma framed by stylized lotus and chakra patterns; devotee in añjali, brāhmaṇa blessing; river as patterned waves; dominant warm yellows/reds with green borders and black detailing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Śālagrāma altar centered within ornate floral borders; lotus clusters and hanging lamps; subtle Viṣṇu symbols (śaṅkha-cakra) in the textile pattern; deep indigo ground with gold and white detailing, celebratory devotional mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing river water","temple bells","conch shell","soft japa undercurrent"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्पुण्यं → यत् + पुण्यं; तस्मात्कोटिगुणं → तस्मात् + कोटिगुणं.
FAQs
Tulāpuruṣa-dāna is a ceremonial charity in which a person is weighed (symbolically) and an equivalent weight of valuable goods is donated; the verse uses it as a benchmark for great merit.
In Vaishnava tradition, Śālagrāma is revered as a sacred manifestation associated with Viṣṇu; the verse emphasizes that gifting such a highly sacred object is considered spiritually more potent than even major forms of charity.
It prioritizes devotional, sacred-intent giving—suggesting that the spiritual value of a gift depends not only on quantity or expense, but also on the sanctity and religious significance of what is offered.