Shloka 5
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
साधूनामपि सर्वेषां यः पीडां हि समाचरेत् । महापातकमेवापि प्रायश्चित्ते न हि व्रजेत्
sādhūnāmapi sarveṣāṃ yaḥ pīḍāṃ hi samācaret | mahāpātakamevāpi prāyaścitte na hi vrajet
جو کوئی تمام سادھوؤں سمیت کسی بھی نیک بندے کو اذیت پہنچائے، وہ مہاپاتک کا مرتکب ہوتا ہے؛ اور کفّارے کے اعمال سے بھی حقیقی پاکیزگی نہیں پاتا۔
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses to identify the dialogue pair).
Concept: Harming sādhus is mahāpātaka; mere prāyaścitta is portrayed as insufficient without deep transformation and cessation of hostility.
Application: Practice non-harm and reverence toward sincere practitioners; if conflict arises, choose apology, restitution, and service rather than self-justifying ‘ritual fixes’.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compassionate yet severe scene: a radiant sādhu sits in meditation beneath a tree, while a would-be aggressor recoils as if struck by the invisible weight of his own karma. The space around the sādhu glows like a protective aura, suggesting that violence against the righteous rebounds inward and cannot be washed away by shallow rites.","primary_figures":["a meditating sādhu","an aggressor figure","a witnessing teacher/narrator (optional)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage edge with a simple kuṭīra, prayer beads, and a small water pot","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with a protective radiance","color_palette":["leaf green","sunlit gold","earth brown","aura white","crimson warning-red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sādhu with gold leaf aura, seated on a tiger/deer-skin, rudrākṣa or tulasī beads; aggressor at the margin in darker tones; embossed gold foliage patterns, rich reds and greens, ornate border framing the moral drama.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil forest with delicate leaves and birds; sādhu serene, aggressor halted mid-step by an unseen force; cool greens and browns with soft golden aura, refined expressions conveying remorse and sanctity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized tree canopy, sādhu with luminous halo, aggressor in dynamic posture; natural pigments with strong ochre/green/red contrasts, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central medallion of the sādhu with lotus border; surrounding panels show the aggressor’s approach and recoil; deep blue background with gold aura motifs, intricate floral framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant bird calls","single bell toll","heavy silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: साधूनामपि = साधूनाम् + अपि; महापातकमेवापि = महापातकम् + एव + अपि
FAQs
It teaches that harming righteous people (sādhus) is a grievous moral offense and is not easily neutralized by routine penances; one must avoid such harm as a core duty of dharma.
It implies that expiation is not a mechanical loophole: when the wrongdoing is severe—such as oppressing the righteous—mere ritual penance may not lead to genuine purification without profound remorse and ethical transformation.
All sādhus—righteous, spiritually oriented persons—are being honored; the verse frames their mistreatment as especially blameworthy.