Shloka 55
Vrata–Dāna Compendium at Puṣkara: Puṣpavāhana’s Account and the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Purification Rite
एतत्कामव्रतं नाम सदा शोकविनाशनम् । आषाढादि व्रते यस्तु वर्जयेद्यः फलाशनम्
etatkāmavrataṃ nāma sadā śokavināśanam | āṣāḍhādi vrate yastu varjayedyaḥ phalāśanam
ข้อปฏิบัตินี้เรียกว่า “กามวรตะ” เป็นเครื่องทำลายความโศกอยู่เสมอ ในวัฏจักรแห่งปณิธานที่เริ่มแต่เดือนอาษาฑะ ผู้ใดงดเว้นการกินผลไม้เป็นอาหาร…
Unspecified (contextual narrator within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa; verse appears mid-instruction on a vrata)
Concept: Regulated restraint undertaken as a vow becomes a direct antidote to śoka (sorrow), transforming desire (kāma) into disciplined devotion.
Application: Choose one consistent, time-bound restraint (e.g., a dietary omission) and keep it with clarity of intention; treat the restraint as an offering rather than self-punishment.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet dawn in a simple āśrama kitchen: a devotee sits before a small altar, hands folded, while a bowl of ripe fruits remains untouched as a deliberate offering of restraint. In the background, a calendar-like frieze of lunar months begins with Āṣāḍha, suggesting a vow-cycle unfolding through time.","primary_figures":["vratī (male or female devotee)","a silent witnessing sage (optional)","Vishnu’s symbolic presence via śālagrāma or conch-disc emblems"],"setting":"forest hermitage veranda with a small tulasī planter and a low wooden altar; month-cycle motifs painted on a wall panel","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron ochre","leaf green","lotus pink","smoke gray","conch white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene vratī seated before a small altar with śālagrāma and conch-disc symbols, an untouched fruit bowl placed aside to signify fruit-abstinence, Āṣāḍha month motif inscribed on a decorative panel; heavy gold leaf halo-like radiance around the altar, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on ritual vessels, ornate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a delicate hermitage scene at dawn, cool mist over trees, the devotee calmly refusing a bowl of fruits, a painted lunar-month strip beginning with Āṣāḍha along the veranda wall; fine brushwork, lyrical naturalism, soft facial features, muted blues and greens with warm saffron accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined devotee in seated posture, stylized altar with śālagrāma and chakra motifs, fruit bowl set aside; flat yet vibrant natural pigments, temple-wall aesthetic, prominent expressive eyes, red-yellow-green dominance with conch-white highlights.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional tableau with lotus borders and month-medallions, a central altar bearing Vishnu symbols, the vratī offering restraint; intricate floral vines, peacocks near a tulasī planter, deep indigo background with gold detailing and lotus-pink accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","morning birds","gentle silence","distant conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: etat-kāmavrataṃ is a compound; āṣāḍhādi is āṣāḍha-ādi; varjayedyāḥ in source normalized to varjayet yaḥ (sandhi/orthography).
FAQs
It is presented as a vow that consistently destroys sorrow (śoka-vināśanam), implying emotional and karmic relief through disciplined observance.
It states that, in the vow beginning with Āṣāḍha, the practitioner should refrain from phalāśana—taking fruit as one’s food.
The verse highlights self-restraint and regulated consumption as a practical form of dharma, suggesting that disciplined habits support inner stability and the reduction of grief.