Shloka 52
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
आत्मघातं द्रुमारोहं कोटरै रूपजीविनं । यः कुर्यादात्मनोघातं स्ववंशे ब्रह्महा भवेत्
ātmaghātaṃ drumārohaṃ koṭarai rūpajīvinaṃ | yaḥ kuryādātmanoghātaṃ svavaṃśe brahmahā bhavet
جو کوئی خودکشی کرتا ہے—چاہے خود کو نقصان پہنچا کر، درخت پر چڑھ کر، یا کسی کھوہ میں داخل ہو کر—وہ شخص اپنے ہی خاندان میں برہمن کا قاتل بن جاتا ہے۔
Unspecified (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 48)
Concept: Suicide and self-destructive acts are condemned; they generate brahma-hatyā-like guilt within one’s own lineage, emphasizing the sanctity of embodied life and social-spiritual obligations.
Application: Treat self-harm as a serious spiritual and social crisis: seek help, community support, and compassionate counsel; cultivate sattvic practices (japa, kīrtana, service) and avoid isolating despair.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cautionary triptych: one panel shows a lone figure climbing a stark tree under a heavy sky; another shows a dark hollow in the earth like a mouth of despair; the third shows a spectral family line behind the person, their faces fading as a black stain spreads through the ancestral thread. Above all, a faint, compassionate Viṣṇu-symbol (conch and discus) shines as a reminder of life’s sacred purpose.","primary_figures":["A despairing person (symbolic)","Spectral ancestors (pitṛs)","Subtle Vaiṣṇava emblems (śaṅkha-cakra)"],"setting":"Edge of a forest with a dead tree, a rocky ground fissure/hollow, and a distant village silhouette representing social bonds at risk.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","ashen gray","ink black","cold silver","warning vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: triptych composition with gold leaf used to highlight the protective śaṅkha-cakra above; central figure rendered with solemn dignity (not sensational), dead tree and earth hollow stylized; ancestral thread motif running through panels; rich reds and deep blues, ornate border with lotus and conch motifs, traditional iconographic restraint.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic yet grave forest edge under moonlight; delicate brushwork for the tree branches and rocky hollow; ancestors as translucent silhouettes behind the figure; cool palette with subtle vermillion accents; refined faces conveying warning without gore.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, strong contrasts; stylized dead tree and hollow; pitṛ figures in rhythmic repetition; śaṅkha-cakra symbols glowing above; dominant blues/reds with black contouring, temple-wall aesthetic borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic narrative with patterned night sky, lotus borders, and repeated ancestral-thread motifs; central warning scene framed by floral designs; deep indigo with gold highlights; peacocks minimized, emphasis on moral symbolism and intricate textile detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum roll","wind gust","single conch blast","forest night insects","sudden silence at the verdict phrase"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: IAST: kuryādātmanoghātaṃ = कुर्यात् + आत्मनः + घातम्; svavaṃśe unchanged; brahmahā lexical compound. Devanagari shows कोटरै (instrumental plural) as written.
FAQs
It condemns deliberate self-destruction (ātmaghāta) as a grave adharma, portraying it as a sin severe enough to be likened to brahmahatyā, with repercussions affecting one’s lineage.
In Purāṇic moral language, “brahmahatyā” functions as a benchmark for extreme sin. The verse uses this category to stress the seriousness of destroying one’s own life and its wider karmic and familial consequences.
No. This śloka is primarily a dharma-ethical warning about ātmaghāta and its karmic gravity, rather than a teaching on sacred geography (tīrthas) or devotional practice (bhakti).