Shloka 45
Praise of the Merits of Sacred Ponds, Tree-Planting, and Water-Charities
यथा पुण्यादिकं कृत्वा स्वर्गमर्त्याधिपः पुमान् । अशक्तस्तु प्रपां कृत्वा पुष्करिण्याः फलं लभेत्
yathā puṇyādikaṃ kṛtvā svargamartyādhipaḥ pumān | aśaktastu prapāṃ kṛtvā puṣkariṇyāḥ phalaṃ labhet
ดังที่บุรุษทำบุญกุศลเป็นต้นแล้วได้ความเป็นใหญ่ทั้งในสวรรค์และในโลกมนุษย์ ฉันนั้น หากไม่สามารถทำงานใหญ่ได้ ก็พึงสร้างประปา—สถานทานน้ำเพื่อสาธารณะ—ย่อมได้ผลบุญเสมือนสร้างสระศักดิ์สิทธิ์.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 58; likely a narrator continuing a dialogue)
Concept: Even if one cannot perform grand works, a simple, compassionate public service—providing drinking water—yields great merit comparable to constructing a sacred pond.
Application: Support water access: fund a water station, maintain a public cooler, donate to clean-water projects, or keep water for passersby—especially in heat—dedicating the act to Viṣṇu.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dusty pilgrim road shimmers under heat; at its side stands a newly built water-shelter with a shaded pavilion, earthen pots, and a gentle donor offering cool water to weary travelers. In the background, a larger sacred pond appears as a faint vision, indicating that the humble prapā equals the merit of grand constructions.","primary_figures":["Donor (gṛhastha)","Travelers/pilgrims","Local attendant (sevaka)"],"setting":"Roadside pavilion on a pilgrim route, with clay jars, ladles, and a small sign of dharma (garlanded post).","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunlit ochre","terracotta","leaf green","cotton white","turquoise"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: roadside maṇḍapa-prapā with ornate pillars, donor offering water from a decorated kalaśa, travelers with staffs and bundles; gold-leaf highlights on pavilion carvings and donor ornaments; rich reds/greens, symmetrical composition, traditional South Indian detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene of a shaded roadside kiosk with earthen pots, a compassionate householder pouring water into a pilgrim’s hands; cool shadows, lyrical trees, distant hills, refined facial expressions of relief and gratitude.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized pavilion and figures; prominent water pot motifs, rhythmic patterning of travelers; warm red/yellow/green pigments, temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing dharma as sacred service.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional charity tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; central prapā pavilion with peacocks and cows nearby, pilgrims receiving water; deep indigo background with gold accents, intricate textile-like patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["earthen pot water pour","footsteps on dust","soft birdsong","small hand bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: svargamartyādhipaḥ = svarga-martya-adhipaḥ; aśaktastu = aśaktaḥ tu.
FAQs
It teaches that even a comparatively simple, practical charity—building a public water-shelter—can yield merit comparable to larger sacred works like constructing a pond, especially when one lacks the capacity for grander projects.
By equating the merit of a prapā with that of a puṣkariṇī, the verse highlights how creating access to water turns a place into a beneficent, quasi-tīrtha-like site that supports travelers and community ritual life.
The ethical focus is compassion in action: provide essential resources (water) for others. Dharma is framed not only as ritual merit but as public welfare, scaled to one’s ability.