Shloka 180
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
पूरयस्व महाविप्र समुद्रं लोकभावनम् । यत्त्वया सलिलं पीतं तदस्मिन्पुनरुत्सृज
pūrayasva mahāvipra samudraṃ lokabhāvanam | yattvayā salilaṃ pītaṃ tadasminpunarutsṛja
اے عظیم برہمن رِشی! سمندر کو پھر بھر دیجیے، جو جہانوں کا سہارا ہے۔ جو پانی آپ نے پیا ہے، وہی اس میں دوبارہ چھوڑ دیجیے۔
Unspecified (a commanding voice addressing a mahāvipra; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma narrative frame in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: Even miraculous ascetic power must serve loka-saṅgraha (world-maintenance), not private display; what is taken from the cosmic order should be returned for universal welfare.
Application: Use power/resources responsibly: restore what you consume; align personal capability with collective good.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast, personified ocean lies diminished, its shoreline pulled back like a breath held too long. A commanding, unseen divine voice reverberates through the sky as a great mahāvipra stands poised, palms cupped as if holding the last trace of swallowed waters, while devas watch in anxious wonder.","primary_figures":["Mahāvipra (ascetic sage)","Devas (assembled gods)","Disembodied divine voice (daivī vāk)"],"setting":"Cosmic seashore at the edge of creation, with receding waves, conch shells on exposed sands, and distant celestial chariots hovering above.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep ocean indigo","sea-foam white","conch ivory","sun-gold","storm-cloud gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: cosmic shoreline with the diminished Samudra rendered as a regal, wave-crowned presence; the mahāvipra in saffron robes with sacred thread, devas in jeweled crowns; heavy gold leaf on ornaments, wave crests, and halo-like radiance of the commanding divine voice; rich reds, emerald greens, and indigo sea with embossed gold highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical seashore with delicate wave lines and pale foam; the sage calm yet resolute, devas clustered in soft pastel garments; refined faces, thin ink outlines, atmospheric sky gradients, distant hills like dreamlike horizons; emphasis on quiet awe and moral gravity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized ocean bands, the sage with elongated eyes and serene expression; devas in traditional mural iconography; warm red-ochre background with green-blue sea, yellow highlights, and a radiant speech-cloud motif for the divine command.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotus and conch motifs framing a symbolic ocean; central sage figure with decorative wave patterns; celestial attendants arranged symmetrically; deep blues and gold, intricate floral filigree, and a Vaishnava aura suggesting Viṣṇu’s preserving order even if not directly shown."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","distant thunder","wind over water","temple bells (faint)","silence after command"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्त्वया = यत् + त्वया; तदस्मिन् = तत् + अस्मिन्; पुनरुत्सृज = पुनः + उत्सृज (visarga→र् before vowel).
FAQs
The verse commands a great sage (mahāvipra) to restore the ocean by releasing back the water that had been drunk, emphasizing replenishment and balance.
It suggests a dharmic principle: what is taken from the world—especially life-supporting resources—should be restored, maintaining harmony rather than depletion.
Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa often focuses on cosmic maintenance and orderly creation; here, the ocean as “lokabhāvana” (world-sustainer) is restored, reinforcing preservation of cosmic functions.