Shloka 18
Exposition of the Duties of Ascetics
Saṃnyāsa-Dharma
न तस्य निष्कृतिः काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः
na tasya niṣkṛtiḥ kāciddharmaśāstreṣu dṛśyate | rāgadveṣaviyuktātmā samaloṣṭāśmakāṃcanaḥ
สำหรับเขา ไม่ปรากฏการชดใช้บาปใด ๆ ในคัมภีร์ธรรมศาสตรา จิตภายในของเขาปราศจากราคะและโทสะ; ก้อนดิน หิน และทอง สำหรับเขาล้วนเสมอกัน
Unspecified (narrative speaker not identifiable from this single verse without surrounding context)
Concept: Certain violations of renunciant discipline are treated as spiritually catastrophic; true purity is rāga-dveṣa-śūnyatā and equal vision toward clay, stone, and gold.
Application: Audit subtle greed: treat money/status as ‘stone’; practice giving away surplus; notice likes/dislikes and return to mantra or nāma-smaraṇa.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yati stands at a crossroads: on one side, glittering gold coins and a patron’s mansion; on the other, a simple path leading to a quiet Viṣṇu shrine. Above him, a Dharmaśāstra manuscript appears like a stern cloud, while his calm face reflects the ideal of seeing clay, stone, and gold as equal.","primary_figures":["Vaishnava yati","personified Dharma (symbolic)","Vishnu (as distant shrine murti/aura)"],"setting":"Crossroads outside a village, with a small temple path and a worldly estate contrasted.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ashen gray","burnished gold","saffron robe-orange","deep temple-blue","white manuscript-ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral crossroads—yati centered, gold coins and jeweled objects on one side, humble clay and stone on the other, distant Vishnu sanctum with radiant halo; heavy gold leaf for temptation objects and Vishnu halo, rich reds/greens, ornate borders, didactic symbolism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined ascetic at a forked path, delicate rendering of clay, stone, and gold as equal still-life elements; cool landscape, subtle facial serenity, gentle clouds forming a manuscript-like shape, lyrical moral contrast.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, symbolic objects (loṣṭa, aśma, kāñcana) arranged in triad; yati with composed eyes, Vishnu shrine icon at edge; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central yati framed by lotus borders; triad of clay-stone-gold repeated as motifs; deep blue ground with gold highlights; small Vishnu shrine and peacocks, emphasizing renunciation as devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple drum (soft)","wind hush","single bell strike","distant chanting","silence after key line"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु = काचित् धर्म-शास्त्रेषु; रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा = राग-द्वेष-वियुक्त-आत्मा (बहुव्रीहि); समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः = सम-लोष्ट-अश्म-काञ्चनः (बहुव्रीहि).
FAQs
It states that for such a person, the Dharmaśāstras do not prescribe (or do not reveal) a conventional act of atonement—implying a condition that lies beyond ordinary juridical remedies, or a spiritual state not governed by routine expiatory rules.
It describes the ideal inner state as freedom from both attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa), pointing to equanimity as a mark of spiritual steadiness.
It teaches non-attachment and impartiality toward material value—treating worthless and precious objects alike—indicating freedom from greed, fear, and preference.