Shloka 46
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
श्रोत्रियं च सदाचारं तीर्थमंत्रप्रपूतकम् । ईदृशं ब्राह्मणं हन्तुः पापस्यांतो न विद्यते
śrotriyaṃ ca sadācāraṃ tīrthamaṃtraprapūtakam | īdṛśaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ hantuḥ pāpasyāṃto na vidyate
جو برہمن وید کا عالم، نیک سیرت، اور تیرتھ کے سنسکاروں اور منتروں سے پاک ہو—ایسے برہمن کے قاتل کے گناہ کی کوئی انتہا نہیں۔
Unknown (context not provided in the excerpt; likely within a narrated dialogue of Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 48)
Concept: Killing a brāhmaṇa who is śrotriya, of good conduct, and purified by tirtha-rites and mantras yields sin described as without terminus—an extreme deterrent against harming the ritually perfected.
Application: Value character (sadācāra) alongside learning; treat ritual practitioners with respect; avoid contempt for ‘ritualism’—in Padma it is often a vehicle for devotion and purification.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa of impeccable conduct stands after bathing at a sacred ford, water still glistening on his hands as he recites mantras; a subtle aura of purity surrounds him. In contrast, a looming shadow of ‘endless sin’ coils like a serpent around the would-be aggressor, halted by the radiance of mantra and tīrtha.","primary_figures":["śrotriya brāhmaṇa of sadācāra","personified Mantra as luminous syllables","personified Pāpa as a shadow-serpent","a distant Viṣṇu shrine or chakra emblem"],"setting":"River-tīrtha ghat with stone steps, kusa grass, a small shrine, and pilgrims in the far background.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river turquoise","sunrise gold","pure white","leaf green","charcoal black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a tīrtha ghat at dawn with a radiant brāhmaṇa reciting mantra, luminous Sanskrit syllables forming a halo, a small Viṣṇu shrine with gold leaf arch, and a dark serpent-like pāpa shadow recoiling; heavy gold embellishment, rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry on symbolic figures.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate riverbank scene with soft dawn light, the brāhmaṇa in white performing ācamana, tiny mantra syllables painted like fireflies, distant pilgrims and trees; subtle shadow-serpent motif near the edge, cool naturalism and refined faces.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal brāhmaṇa with kamaṇḍalu and mantra-gesture, bold outlines, stylized river waves, mantra syllables as bright motifs, dark pāpa-serpent below; warm pigment blocks, temple-wall symmetry, intense moral iconography.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: river-tīrtha framed by lotus borders, central purified brāhmaṇa with mantra aura, a small Viṣṇu emblem above, intricate floral patterns, deep blue-green water, gold highlights; symbolic pāpa-serpent woven into border corners."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","mantra undertone (soft)","morning birds","single bell strike"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तीर्थमंत्रप्रपूतकम् = तीर्थ + मन्त्र + प्रपूतकम्; पापस्यांतो = पापस्य + अन्तः.
FAQs
It emphasizes three marks: śrotriya (Veda-learned), sadācāra (upright conduct), and being purified/consecrated through tīrtha and mantra (sacred rites and mantric sanctification).
The verse warns that violence against a truly virtuous and ritually sanctified brāhmaṇa is an exceptionally grave wrongdoing, described as producing sin without a foreseeable limit.
It indicates a person who is not merely socially designated as a brāhmaṇa, but one who is spiritually and ritually refined—purified by sacred observances associated with tīrthas and by mantra-based consecrations.