Shloka 15
The Glory of Charity: Land-Gifts, Śālagrāma Donation, and Food–Water as Supreme Gifts
तिलप्रमाणं स्वर्णं यो ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । हरेर्निकेतनं याति युक्तः कोटिकुलैरपि
tilapramāṇaṃ svarṇaṃ yo brāhmaṇāya prayacchati | harerniketanaṃ yāti yuktaḥ koṭikulairapi
جو شخص برہمن کو تل کے دانے کے برابر سونا دے، وہ کروڑوں نسلوں سمیت ہری کے نِکیتن، یعنی اس کے دھام، کو پہنچتا ہے۔
Unknown (context not provided; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue typical of the Brahma-khaṇḍa sections)
Concept: Even a minute gift (sesame-seed-sized gold) offered to a brāhmaṇa with faith can lead to Hari’s abode and uplift many generations—devotion magnifies the act beyond its material size.
Application: Do small but consistent acts of generosity and support for spiritual learning; cultivate śraddhā and humility—impact is not proportional to quantity alone.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa sits on a kusa mat beside a small fire altar, while a devotee offers a tiny sesame-seed-sized nugget of gold on a betel leaf—its minuteness emphasized by close framing. Above them opens a luminous vision of Hari’s abode: a jeweled Vaikuṇṭha gateway with conch and discus motifs, and behind the donor appear faint ancestral silhouettes being lifted upward in a stream of light.","primary_figures":["devotee donor","brāhmaṇa recipient","Hari (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa in visionary form)","ancestral silhouettes (kula)"],"setting":"ritual courtyard with yajña-kunda, kusa grass, water pot, and a distant celestial gateway vision","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["radiant gold","peacock blue","ivory white","ruby red","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close-focus offering of a tiny gold piece on a leaf to a brāhmaṇa, with Vaikuṇṭha arch and Viṣṇu in the upper register; heavy gold leaf work, embossed halos, gem-studded ornaments, rich reds/greens, ornate temple frame and floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate ritual scene with delicate hands presenting a minuscule gold speck; soft celestial Vaikuṇṭha vision in the sky, refined faces, cool blues and gentle gold washes, lyrical trees and subtle architectural arches.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized brāhmaṇa and donor with bold outlines, the tiny gold rendered as a bright dot; upper panel shows Nārāyaṇa with śaṅkha-cakra, framed by traditional mural borders, strong red/yellow/green palette with gold accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vaikuṇṭha gateway as central mandala with conch-disc motifs, donor and brāhmaṇa below in symmetrical posture; intricate floral borders, deep blue ground, gold highlights, lotus patterns and devotional ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","soft drone (tanpura)","fire crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरेर्निकेतनं = हरेः + निकेतनम् (विसर्ग→र्); कोटिकुलैरपि = कोटिकुलैः + अपि (विसर्ग-संधि); तिलप्रमाणं/निकेतनं = -म् → अनुस्वार (ं)
FAQs
It praises dāna—specifically giving even a very small amount of gold (sesame-seed sized) to a brāhmaṇa—as highly meritorious.
“Harer niketana” refers to Viṣṇu’s divine realm (the state or abode associated with Hari), symbolizing spiritual attainment and liberation-oriented merit.
The verse emphasizes generosity and reverence toward worthy recipients, teaching that sincere giving—though materially small—can yield profound spiritual results.