Shloka 26
Praise of the Merits of Sacred Ponds, Tree-Planting, and Water-Charities
ददाति वित्तं पुत्रांश्च स्वर्गं मोक्षं पुनः क्रमात् । किंचिच्छेदं तु यः कुर्यादश्वत्थस्य तनौ नरः
dadāti vittaṃ putrāṃśca svargaṃ mokṣaṃ punaḥ kramāt | kiṃcicchedaṃ tu yaḥ kuryādaśvatthasya tanau naraḥ
มันประทานทรัพย์ บุตร สวรรค์ และต่อจากนั้นโมกษะตามลำดับ แต่บุรุษใดทำรอยบากแม้เพียงเล็กน้อยลงบนกาย (ลำต้น) ของต้นอัศวัตถะ (พีปัล)…
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Adhyaya 58 context)
Concept: Service to the sacred aśvattha yields a graded fruit: artha (wealth), putra (progeny), svarga, and ultimately mokṣa—showing a ladder from worldly welfare to liberation.
Application: Begin where you are: offer simple devotion and ethical care even if motivated by needs; refine intention over time toward selfless worship and inner freedom.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: earthly
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee circumambulates a grand aśvattha, offering water and a lamp; above the canopy, symbolic visions appear in sequence—coins and grain for prosperity, a child in the arms for progeny, a luminous svarga pavilion, and finally a serene lotus of liberation. The tree stands as the axis connecting earth’s needs to the sky’s promise and the silence beyond.","primary_figures":["devotee","aśvattha as sacred embodiment","symbolic personifications of prosperity/progeny/svarga/mokṣa"],"setting":"Sacred tree on a raised platform with offerings; subtle celestial overlay in the sky.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["antique gold","emerald green","sky blue","lotus white","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Central aśvattha with embossed gold leaf on haloed canopy; devotee offering lamp and water; four symbolic vignettes in the upper register—wealth (gold coins), son (child), svarga (celestial palace), mokṣa (white lotus and radiant void); rich reds/greens, ornate borders, jewel-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Narrative sequence in a single frame—devotee circling the tree while airy cloud-bands show gentle symbolic scenes of prosperity, child, heaven, and a calm lotus of release; cool blues and greens, delicate linework, poetic atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Iconic tree with stylized leaf clusters; four medallions around it depicting the fruits; bold outlines, natural pigments, symmetrical temple-wall composition, strong reds/yellows/greens with blue accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Aśvattha as central mandala with floral borders; four corner panels showing artha/putra/svarga/mokṣa symbols; peacocks and lotus motifs, deep indigo ground, gold highlights, intricate patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","rustling leaves","soft drone (tanpura)","distant chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुत्रान् + च → पुत्रांश्च; किंचित् + छेदम् → किंचिच्छेदम् (त् + छ → च्छ); कुर्यात् + अश्वत्थस्य → कुर्यादश्वत्थस्य (त् + अ → द् + अ)।
FAQs
It praises the aśvattha as a powerful source of merit—granting worldly prosperity and ultimately liberation—while warning against harming it, even slightly.
Purāṇas often treat certain trees as embodiments of divine presence and as living sacred sites; hence protecting them is framed as dharma and harming them as a serious fault.
Reverence for sacred life and restraint from needless harm: protect venerable natural beings (like sacred trees) and avoid actions that damage what is held holy by tradition.