Shloka 55
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
परस्य वाऽत्मनो वा गां कृत्वा पीडनवाहने । न पालयंति ये मूढास्ते प्रेताः कर्मजा भुवि
parasya vā'tmano vā gāṃ kṛtvā pīḍanavāhane | na pālayaṃti ye mūḍhāste pretāḥ karmajā bhuvi
คนเขลาทั้งหลายที่ไม่ว่าโคจะเป็นของผู้อื่นหรือของตน ก็จับเทียมให้ลากจูงอย่างเจ็บปวดเป็นสัตว์บรรทุก และไม่คุ้มครองดูแล—ผู้นั้นย่อมเป็นเปรตบนแผ่นดิน อันเกิดจากกรรมของตนเอง
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Cruel exploitation of cows—yoking them for painful hauling and failing to protect them—produces pretatva as a karmic result.
Application: Practice compassion toward animals; support ethical dairy/animal welfare; avoid cruelty in work and consumption; cultivate protective responsibility for dependents.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village road scene shows a cow painfully yoked to an overloaded cart, ribs visible, while a negligent owner looks away. Above, a subtle karmic vision overlays the scene: the owner’s future preta-form wandering the same earth, hungry and restless, while a compassionate figure loosens the yoke and offers water, hinting at dharmic correction.","primary_figures":["cow (go)","negligent owner","compassionate protector (villager/sage)","preta-vision of the offender"],"setting":"Rural path with fields, banyan tree shade, small shrine at crossroads, dust and cart tracks","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["dusty ochre","banyan green","milk white","terracotta","soft sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: rural dharma tableau—cow at center with ornate yet restrained harness, compassionate figure offering water, negligent owner in darker tones; gold leaf highlights on shrine and halos, rich earthy reds/greens, decorative lotus border, moral symbolism rendered with embossed details.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: pastoral landscape with gentle hills, delicate cow anatomy and expressive eyes, villagers in simple garments; soft dawn light, lyrical trees and fields, a faint translucent preta silhouette behind the negligent owner, fine brushwork and calm yet admonitory mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized cow and cart, strong narrative gestures—protector unyoking the cow; red/yellow/green palette with black accents, small shrine motif, clear moral contrast.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Govinda-themed moral pichwai—central cow protected under a floral canopy, side vignette of cruelty fading into preta-shadow; deep blue background, gold lotus borders, peacocks and cows in Nathdwara idiom, intricate floral filigree and tulasi sprigs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["cow bells","morning birds","distant flute motif","soft wind through fields"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वाऽत्मनो = वा आत्मनः; मूढास्ते = मूढाः ते
FAQs
It condemns exploiting cows for harsh labor and stresses the duty of protection (pālana/go-rakṣā), warning of karmic consequences for cruelty and neglect.
It indicates a degraded, restless condition caused by one’s actions—an immediate karmic repercussion described as a ‘preta’ state ‘on earth’ (bhuvi).
No. It explicitly includes both another’s cow and one’s own (parasya vā ātmano vā), emphasizing that ownership does not justify cruelty or neglect.