Shloka 10
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā: Purification, Ancestor Rites, and Liberation
अन्नैकेन तु साहस्रं वर्षं पूज्यः सुरालये । तिलेन द्विगुणं विद्धि तथा मेध्यफलेन च
annaikena tu sāhasraṃ varṣaṃ pūjyaḥ surālaye | tilena dviguṇaṃ viddhi tathā medhyaphalena ca
ด้วยการถวายธัญญาหารเพียงครั้งเดียว บุคคลย่อมเป็นผู้ควรบูชาในเทวโลกตลอดพันปี จงรู้เถิดว่าเมื่อถวายงาย่อมได้ผลบุญเป็นสองเท่า และเมื่อถวายผลไม้อันบริสุทธิ์เป็นมงคลก็ได้ผลเช่นเดียวกัน
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Adhyaya 62; speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Even small, well-chosen offerings (anna, tila, pure fruits) yield vast merit; substance and purity amplify karmic fruit.
Application: Practice regular giving: food donation, sesame offerings in śrāddha/tarpaṇa, and offering clean fruits—prioritize purity and intention over quantity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial court appears above a ritual fire: devas in luminous assembly honor a humble donor whose hands extend a single bowl of grains. Nearby, sesame seeds gleam like tiny black pearls and a plate of spotless fruits radiates purity, each offering sending ripples of light upward into the sky.","primary_figures":["Devotee donor","Devas (Indra and attendants suggested)","Ritual priest (optional)"],"setting":"Threshold between an earthly altar and a radiant suralaya pavilion with jeweled pillars, clouds, and flying apsarās in the distance.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["pearl white","sky azure","sesame black","marigold gold","fruit vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: donor presenting a bowl of grains and a plate of medhya fruits, sesame seeds depicted as glossy beads; devas in a jeweled suralaya hall blessing him; heavy gold leaf on pillars, crowns, and halos; rich crimson-green textiles and ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: airy celestial terrace with soft clouds, delicate devas seated in a semicircle; the donor below at a small altar offering grains, sesame, and fruits; cool blues and gentle pastels, refined faces, lyrical composition with floating garlands.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized suralaya with bold outlines, Indra-like figure centered, donor at the base holding offerings; strong red/yellow/green pigments, patterned clouds, rhythmic symmetry like temple wall art.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative offering scene framed by floral borders; grains and fruits rendered with intricate patterning; celestial attendants above in deep blue field with gold highlights; lotus motifs and hanging garlands emphasizing auspicious dāna."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch","gentle drone (tanpura)","rustle of grains","distant celestial chimes"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अन्नैकेन → अन्न-एकेन; मेध्यफलेन → मेध्य-फलेन
FAQs
It highlights the Purāṇic idea that simple, sincere offerings (especially anna-dāna and tila) generate substantial merit (puṇya), described here as heavenly honor for long durations.
In many Dharma and Purāṇic contexts, tila is treated as especially purifying and ritually potent; this verse encodes that hierarchy by stating its fruit is “dviguṇa” (double) compared to a basic grain offering.
The verse encourages generosity by showing that even modest gifts have meaningful outcomes, while also teaching discernment: purity/auspiciousness of the offering (medhya-phala) and its traditional sanctity (tila) are considered to enhance merit.