Shloka 26
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
गोपायंति धनं यस्मात्ते यक्षा नररूपिणः । प्राणांतेपि धनं किचिन्न दिशंति च राजनि
gopāyaṃti dhanaṃ yasmātte yakṣā nararūpiṇaḥ | prāṇāṃtepi dhanaṃ kicinna diśaṃti ca rājani
เพราะเขาหวงแหนกักเก็บทรัพย์ไว้ เหล่ายักษะนั้น—แม้ปรากฏเป็นมนุษย์—ข้าแต่พระราชา แม้ยามสิ้นลมหายใจก็มิได้ให้ทรัพย์แม้เพียงน้อยนิด
Unspecified (narratorial voice within Adhyaya 76 addressing a king)
Concept: Wealth hoarded without dāna becomes a cause of degradation; even death cannot redeem miserliness.
Application: Practice regular charity (anna, vastra, tulasi-sevā, temple support); set aside a fixed portion of income for dāna so the mind loosens its grip before old age.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A human-faced Yakṣa sits in a dim treasury chamber, arms wrapped around overflowing gold pots, while a shadowy figure of Death stands behind with a silent hourglass. Outside the door, hungry petitioners and a temple bell remain unanswered, emphasizing the tragedy of wealth that never becomes merit.","primary_figures":["Yakṣa in human form","Yama (as a shadow presence)","supplicants (poor, pilgrims)","a king listening (implied addressee)"],"setting":"stone-walled treasury room with locked chests; doorway opening to a temple street where alms-seekers wait","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit with ominous chiaroscuro","color_palette":["antique gold","smoky umber","deep maroon","ash gray","oil-lamp amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a human-faced Yakṣa clutching gold vessels before a carved treasury door, Yama’s dark silhouette behind; heavy gold-leaf highlights on coins and ornaments, rich crimson and emerald accents, ornate jewelry, temple arch motifs framing the moral scene.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a slender, anxious Yakṣa seated amid neat stacks of coins, delicate linework showing locked chests; a pale, spectral Yama behind a curtain; cool muted palette with fine facial expressions, a small group of petitioners outside under a twilight sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized Yakṣa with expressive eyes and elaborate crown, gold pots arranged rhythmically; Yama as a dark, simplified form; warm red-yellow-green pigments, temple-wall composition emphasizing dharma instruction.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition—coins and pots forming a lotus-like mandala that remains unopened; at the border, small vignettes of devotees offering to Vishnu contrasted with the Yakṣa hoarding; deep indigo ground with gold detailing and floral borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","distant conch","soft clink of coins","heavy silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yasmātte = yasmāt + te; prāṇāṃtepi = prāṇa-ante + api; kicinna = kiñcit + na (t + n → nn); diśaṃti = diśanti (anusvāra orthography).
FAQs
It criticizes hoarding and teaches that clinging to wealth is pointless—especially since one cannot take it at death—implying the virtue of giving (dāna).
Yakṣas are traditionally associated with guarding treasures; the verse uses them as a moral type for extreme miserliness—guarding wealth without generosity.
Purāṇas commonly present dāna as a dharmic duty; this verse reinforces dharma by portraying miserliness as blameworthy and generosity as the implied ideal.