Shloka 51
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
दोषैश्चापि विनिर्मुक्तमुद्दिश्य प्राणमुत्सृजेत् । स प्रलिप्तो वधैर्घोरैर्न तु यं परिकीर्तयेत्
doṣaiścāpi vinirmuktamuddiśya prāṇamutsṛjet | sa pralipto vadhairghorairna tu yaṃ parikīrtayet
แม้ว่าผู้ใดจะสละชีวิตด้วยเจตนาที่จะหลุดพ้นจากความผิด แต่บุคคลเช่นนั้น ผู้แปดเปื้อนด้วยการฆ่าอันน่ากลัว ย่อมไม่ควรได้รับการกล่าวขานสรรเสริญ
Unclear from single-verse context (requires surrounding verses of Adhyaya 48 to attribute reliably).
Concept: Self-sacrifice claimed as fault-removal does not sanctify a person stained by grave violence; do not praise such acts—discern dharma beyond appearances.
Application: Avoid romanticizing self-harm or ‘martyrdom’ when rooted in wrongdoing; practice accountability, restitution, and genuine reform; choose life-affirming tapas aligned with compassion.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A figure stands at a crossroads holding a garland meant for self-glorification, but the garland wilts as dark stains spread across his hands—symbols of past killings. Nearby, a sage gestures gently yet firmly, turning away a chorus of onlookers who are about to sing praises, redirecting them toward quiet reflection and true atonement.","primary_figures":["Tainted self-sacrificer","Sage/teacher of discernment","Onlookers (chorus)"],"setting":"A symbolic crossroads with a small shrine in the distance; one path bright with calm austerity, the other shadowed with blood-red dust.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty saffron","shadow violet","dried-blood red","stone gray","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral allegory at a crossroads—central figure with wilted garland and stained hands, sage with raised palm of prohibition; gold leaf used sparingly to highlight the true dharma path and the distant shrine; rich reds/greens, ornate border with lotus and chakra motifs, traditional iconography for the sage.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate allegorical landscape with two diverging paths; subtle facial expressions—sage compassionate, crowd eager, central figure conflicted; cool natural palette with refined linework; emphasis on psychological nuance rather than spectacle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; two-path composition with strong color contrast; sage in luminous yellow-green, tainted figure in darker reds; stylized eyes and temple-wall symmetry; ornamental border patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central moral tableau framed by intricate floral borders; the ‘praise chorus’ as patterned silhouettes; distant shrine with lotus motifs; deep blue ground with gold accents, symbolic rather than literal realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft wind through leaves","single bell at verse end","quiet footsteps fading","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दोषैश्चापि → दोषैः + च + अपि; विनिर्मुक्तमुद्दिश्य → विनिर्मुक्तम् + उद्दिश्य; प्राणमुत्सृजेत् → प्राणम् + उत्सृजेत्; वधैर्घोरैः → वधैः + घोरैः
FAQs
No. It states that even giving up one’s life with the intention of becoming faultless does not make one worthy of praise if one is tainted by dreadful acts of killing.
The verse emphasizes moral accountability—especially regarding हिंसा (violence). A person involved in grave killing remains ethically stained and should not be celebrated.
It frames the teaching as a warning against glorifying morally compromised individuals: public praise is portrayed as inappropriate when one’s life is marked by horrific violence.