Shloka 5
Merits of Vitastā, Devikā, Rudrakoṭī and Sarasvatī Sacred Fords
चरुं सप्तार्चिषे राजन्यथाशक्ति निवेदयेत् । पितॄणामक्षयं दानं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः
caruṃ saptārciṣe rājanyathāśakti nivedayet | pitṝṇāmakṣayaṃ dānaṃ pravadaṃti manīṣiṇaḥ
ข้าแต่มหาราช พึงถวายจรุ (ข้าวสุก) แด่อัคนีผู้มีเปลวเจ็ด ตามกำลังศรัทธาและกำลังตน บัณฑิตกล่าวว่า ทานนี้อุทิศแก่ปิตฤทั้งหลายย่อมเป็นอักษยะ ไม่เสื่อมสูญ
Unspecified (didactic narrator addressing a king)
Concept: Offerings made with capacity (yathāśakti) and proper intention become akṣaya when dedicated to Pitṛs through Agni.
Application: Practice yathāśakti generosity: small, sincere offerings and remembrance of ancestors; perform acts of gratitude regularly (food donation, feeding elders, charity in their name).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king listens as a sage instructs him beside a neatly prepared fire altar. Cooked rice (caru) is offered into a seven-tongued flame, while subtle ancestral presences are suggested as luminous silhouettes receiving the merit beyond the smoke.","primary_figures":["Agni (Saptārcis)","king (rājan)","teaching sage/narrator","Pitṛs (ancestral spirits, implied)"],"setting":"forest hermitage yajña-śālā with brick altar, ladles, kusa grass, and offering bowls","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with fire’s amber glow","color_palette":["flame orange","smoke gray","saffron","copper brown","ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Agni as Saptārcis rising from a square altar, seven distinct flame-tongues, king and sage in profile offering caru with golden ladle, gold leaf flames and halos, rich red-green textiles, ornate pillars and arch, gem-like highlights on vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate yajña scene in a quiet āśrama courtyard, delicate smoke curls, refined figures with soft expressions, muted earth tones with bright flame accents, distant trees and a small stream, lyrical composition emphasizing śraddhā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Agni with pronounced eyes and layered flames, bold outlines, ritual implements clearly iconographic, warm red-yellow dominance, patterned background suggesting sacred enclosure, symmetrical placement of king and sage.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative altar scene framed by floral borders, stylized flames and lotus motifs, attendants holding offering trays, deep indigo background with gold and vermilion highlights, intricate textile patterning around the yajña space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["crackling fire","low Vedic chanting","wooden ladle taps","soft bell","night insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: saptārciṣe ← sapta + arciṣe; rājanyathāśakti ← rājan + yathāśakti; pitṝṇāmakṣayaṃ ← pitṝṇām + akṣayam; pravadaṃti normalized to pravadanti.
FAQs
“Saptārciṣ” is an epithet of Agni (the sacrificial fire), described as having seven tongues/flames through which offerings are conveyed in Vedic-style rites.
It means an offering whose merit is considered enduring—especially when given with proper intent and capacity—so that its benefit to one’s ancestors is not quickly exhausted.
It emphasizes proportionality and sincerity: one should offer “according to one’s ability” (yathāśakti), making the rite inclusive and ethically grounded rather than burdensome.