Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
दध्ना स्नानेन द्विगुणं घृतेन तु शताधिकम् । अन्नं षड्रससंयुक्तं दत्वा क्षितिपतिर्भवेत्
dadhnā snānena dviguṇaṃ ghṛtena tu śatādhikam | annaṃ ṣaḍrasasaṃyuktaṃ datvā kṣitipatirbhavet
การสรงด้วยนมเปรี้ยวให้บุญเป็นสองเท่า และด้วยเนยใสให้มากกว่าร้อยเท่า; ผู้ใดถวายภักษาหารประกอบด้วยรสทั้งหก ย่อมได้เป็นเจ้าแห่งแผ่นดิน คือพระราชา
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed to confirm the dialogue frame).
Concept: Enhanced ritual bathing substances amplify merit; nourishing others with complete, well-prepared food yields sovereignty—symbolic of social responsibility and abundance.
Application: Practice cleanliness and mindful ritual; prioritize feeding others—community kitchens, guests, the needy—with balanced, wholesome meals.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual bathing pavilion where a devotee performs snāna with curd and then with ghee, the liquids shimmering as if charged with mantra. Nearby, a grand anna-dāna hall serves a sumptuous ‘six-taste’ meal—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent—arranged on leaf plates, while a symbolic crown and scepter appear in a faint aura, hinting at kingship as the fruit of generosity.","primary_figures":["devotee performing snāna","priests/assistants","recipients of anna-dāna (guests, poor, pilgrims)"],"setting":"Temple-side bathing ghat and community dining hall (anna-kṣetra) with steaming pots, ladles, and orderly rows of diners.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["ghee gold","curd white","copper bronze","banana-leaf green","crimson"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: temple bathing pavilion with devotee anointed in curd and ghee, priests holding brass vessels; adjacent anna-dāna scene with rows of diners and leaf plates showing six tastes; gold leaf on vessels, halos, and decorative borders; rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing, iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene ghat with delicate depiction of curd and ghee bathing, then a warm community feast under a canopy; soft morning light, refined faces, gentle hills in distance; subtle symbolic crown motif floating like a poetic emblem of kingship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined bathing rite with white curd and golden ghee rendered in stylized streams; anna-dāna hall with rhythmic rows of diners; strong red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall composition, ornamental patterns on pots and garments.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: anna-dāna as devotional service framed by lotus borders; deep indigo background with gold highlights; leaf plates arranged in decorative patterns, peacocks at corners; a small vignette of ritual snāna with curd and ghee, intricate floral motifs throughout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["water pouring","brass vessel clinks","low Vedic chant","community murmurs","temple bells"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ṣaḍrasasaṃyuktaṃ → ṣaḍ-rasa-saṃyuktam; kṣitipatirbhavet → kṣiti-patiḥ bhavet.
It ranks ritual snāna by substance, stating that bathing with curd yields double merit, while bathing with ghee yields merit exceeding a hundredfold.
Ṣaḍrasa refers to the classical six tastes—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent—implying a complete, well-prepared meal offered in charity.
The verse highlights the spiritual and social value of generosity—especially anna-dāna (food-giving)—presenting it as a powerful act that brings great worldly and karmic reward.