Shloka 188
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
दाता चैव पितॄणां च ऋणं चैव प्रमुंचति । अक्षयं लभते स्वर्गं पूजितो मघवा यथा
dātā caiva pitṝṇāṃ ca ṛṇaṃ caiva pramuṃcati | akṣayaṃ labhate svargaṃ pūjito maghavā yathā
ผู้ให้ย่อมปลดเปลื้องหนี้ต่อปิตฤทั้งหลาย และย่อมได้สวรรค์อันไม่เสื่อม ถูกบูชาเฉกเช่นมฆวา (อินทรา)
Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the excerpt; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue context in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: Charity releases ancestral debt (pitṛ-ṛṇa) and yields enduring heavenly honor; generosity is both social duty and spiritual ascent.
Application: Practice regular giving—especially in memory of ancestors—through food, education, care for animals, and support for sacred/ethical institutions; let generosity be disciplined, not occasional.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A generous donor, hands extended in offering, is shown with a luminous chain snapping gently from his chest—symbolizing pitṛ-ṛṇa released—while above him Indra’s svarga court opens like a jeweled lotus. The donor is welcomed with garlands and respectful gestures, seated in a radiant pavilion, ‘honored like Maghavā’.","primary_figures":["donor (dātā)","pitṛs (blessing, subtle)","Indra (Maghavā)","celestial attendants (apsaras/gandharvas)"],"setting":"Transition from earthly ritual space to Indra’s celestial court with jeweled pillars, cloud-thrones, and kalpavṛkṣas.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["radiant gold","sky azure","ruby red","ivory white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: donor offering dāna in the foreground with a symbolic broken chain of debt, upper register shows Indra (Maghavā) in a jeweled svarga pavilion welcoming the donor with garlands; lavish gold leaf on crowns and architecture, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, symmetrical deity-court composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant two-tier composition—earthly dāna below, airy svarga court above—Indra seated amid delicate attendants, donor ascending on a cloud path; cool blues and soft golds, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism and floral borders.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined Indra-loka with stylized pillars and attendants, donor shown with a snapped chain motif, pitṛs as a decorative translucent band; strong red/yellow/green palette with deep blue background, temple-wall aesthetic and iconic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central ascending path framed by lotus and floral borders, donor welcomed in a celestial pavilion, garlands and peacocks in ornamental corners, gold detailing on crowns and lotuses; deep indigo ground with intricate vines and symmetrical devotional layout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","gentle cymbals","celestial chime texture"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव; प्रमुंचति (IAST pramuṃcati) = प्र + मुञ्चति; श्लोके 'अक्षयं' कर्मपदं, 'स्वर्गं' लभते इत्यस्य कर्म।
FAQs
It states that charitable giving helps one be freed from the debt/obligation owed to the ancestors, implying that dāna supports ancestral rites and fulfills duties connected with lineage.
While not explicitly devotional, it promotes a dharmic practice (dāna) that purifies intention and supports sacred duty; in Purāṇic ethics, such selfless giving is often treated as a supportive limb of devotion and righteous living.
Generosity is presented as both socially and spiritually transformative: it repays inherited obligations and yields lasting spiritual reward, leading to honor comparable to that of Indra.