Shloka 20
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
विहाय पितरं भोग्या धने क्षीणे यथा वनम् । पक्षिणस्सूकरश्चैव महिषी करिणी तथा
vihāya pitaraṃ bhogyā dhane kṣīṇe yathā vanam | pakṣiṇassūkaraścaiva mahiṣī kariṇī tathā
جب دولت ختم ہو جاتی ہے تو عیش طلب لوگ اپنے سرپرست کو چھوڑ دیتے ہیں، جیسے وسائل ختم ہونے پر جنگل کو جاندار ترک کر دیتے ہیں: پرندے، سور، اور اسی طرح بھینسنی اور ہتھنی بھی۔
Unspecified (contextual narrator/speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: Worldly relationships based on wealth are impermanent; when prosperity ends, dependents depart—therefore seek lasting refuge in dharma and devotion.
Application: Build relationships on virtue, not utility; practice generosity without expectation; cultivate remembrance of Viṣṇu so the mind is not shattered by reversals of fortune.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A once-thriving forest now thinned and dry: birds lift away from empty branches, a boar turns back into the scrub, and a buffalo-cow and she-elephant move off in search of water—mirroring the human scene of dependents quietly leaving a patron whose coffers are spent. In the foreground, the abandoned protector stands still, realizing the sharp lesson of impermanence.","primary_figures":["a fallen patron/protector (pitaram as guardian figure)","departing dependents (symbolic)","birds","boar","buffalo-cow (mahiṣī)","she-elephant (kariṇī)"],"setting":"A forest edge near a depleted watering place; parallel human dwelling hinted by an empty granary and silent courtyard.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ash gray","dry ochre","deep indigo","pale silver","withered green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: allegorical split-scene—left: a patron in a dim courtyard with emptied treasure chest; right: a drying forest with birds flying off, boar retreating, buffalo-cow and she-elephant departing; gold leaf used sparingly as ‘faded’ glory, rich but muted reds/greens, expressive faces emphasizing karuṇa.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poignant forest landscape with delicate trees and a shrinking waterhole; animals departing in gentle motion; the human figure seated in contemplation near an empty storehouse, cool night palette, lyrical melancholy, fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: symbolic forest with bold outlines; animals rendered in stylized profiles moving away; the protector figure in sorrowful stillness; strong pigments but subdued composition, temple-wall austerity conveying vairāgya.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: metaphorical composition with lotus borders turned sparse; animals departing around a central empty vessel motif; deep indigo ground with muted gold, decorative yet somber, emphasizing the moral of impermanence through patterned repetition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["night wind","distant owl","faint temple bell","long silences"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pakṣiṇaḥ+sūkaraḥ+ca+eva → pakṣiṇassūkaraścaiva (ḥ+s → ss; ca+eva → caiva).
FAQs
It teaches the impermanence of worldly attachment: when resources end, those who benefited often depart, revealing relationships based on utility rather than duty.
The forest metaphor illustrates natural, resource-driven movement: creatures stay where there is sustenance and move on when it is depleted—mirroring how dependents may leave when wealth is gone.
It advises discernment and detachment: support others with compassion, but do not assume gratitude or permanence; instead cultivate steadier virtues (dharma) beyond wealth-based bonds.