Shloka 35
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
साक्षिणामग्रतस्तेन प्रस्तरः पातितस्तथा । पुष्करिण्यां महत्यां च दृष्टं नरसुरासुरैः
sākṣiṇāmagratastena prastaraḥ pātitastathā | puṣkariṇyāṃ mahatyāṃ ca dṛṣṭaṃ narasurāsuraiḥ
ต่อหน้าพยานทั้งหลาย เขาให้ทิ้งแผ่นศิลาลงเช่นนั้น; และในสระศักดิ์สิทธิ์อันใหญ่ยิ่งนั้น มนุษย์ เทวะ และอสูรทั้งหลายได้ประจักษ์เห็น
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Adhyaya 57).
Concept: In a tirtha-like sacred space, actions become transparent: truth and falsehood are exposed before the ‘three worlds’ (humans, gods, and even asuras).
Application: Choose accountability: let important claims be tested openly and fairly; avoid secretive harm—nothing remains unseen in the moral universe.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Before a ring of solemn witnesses, a massive stone slab is hurled into a vast sacred tank—and yet the water seems to shimmer with otherworldly presence. On the far bank, faint luminous silhouettes of devas and shadowed asuras appear as unseen spectators, while humans stare in stunned silence at the omen-like sight beneath the surface.","primary_figures":["witnesses (sākṣiṇaḥ)","stone slab","humans (nara)","devas (sura)","asuras"],"setting":"a grand temple tank (puṣkariṇī) with steps (ghāṭa), lotus patches, and a crowd gathered along the stone embankment","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["turquoise water","lotus pink","gold leaf","pearl white","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: monumental temple tank with stepped ghāṭas, the stone slab mid-fall with splashing arcs, rows of witnesses in ornate attire, devas above in a golden aura and asuras in darker tones, lavish gold leaf on water highlights and divine ornaments, rich reds/greens framing the sacred spectacle.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: expansive yet delicate tank landscape with lotus clusters, fine ripples around the falling stone, subtle celestial figures in the sky margin, refined faces of astonished onlookers, cool blues and pinks with lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized waves, the stone slab emphasized with strong geometry, devas and asuras rendered iconically at the upper corners, warm pigment palette with dramatic contrast, temple-wall narrative composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: large puṣkariṇī filled with lotus motifs, ornate floral borders, narrative frieze of witnesses, celestial beings hovering amid gold patterns, deep blue water with gold ripples, intricate textile detailing in Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["water splash","crowd exclamation","temple bells","conch shell","echoing silence after impact"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: साक्षिणामग्रतः = साक्षिणाम् + अग्रतः; नरसुरासुरैः = नर + सुर + असुरैः (द्वन्द्व)
FAQs
It portrays the pond as a public, sacred locus where an event is not private or hidden—its reality is affirmed as being witnessed in a major tīrtha-like setting.
The phrase underscores verification and accountability: the act is presented as demonstrable and observed, not merely claimed—strengthening the narrative’s evidentiary tone.
By stating that humans, devas, and asuras all observed the event, the verse suggests an undeniable sign whose impact crosses moral and cosmic divisions—implying that truth (or divine ordinance) can become evident to all.