Shloka 27
Praise of Digging Wells and Building Water-Reservoirs
The Merit of Water-Works
लब्धं ते पुष्करिण्याश्च पुण्यं लाभात्प्रमन्यसे । शक्त्या दत्वाथ मूल्यं तां स्वीयां कर्तुं व्यवस्थितः
labdhaṃ te puṣkariṇyāśca puṇyaṃ lābhātpramanyase | śaktyā datvātha mūlyaṃ tāṃ svīyāṃ kartuṃ vyavasthitaḥ
تم مقدس پُشکرِنی سے وابستہ پُنّیہ کو نفع سمجھتے ہو؛ پھر اپنی استطاعت کے مطابق اس کی قیمت ادا کرکے اسے اپنا بنانے کا ارادہ کر بیٹھے ہو۔
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator/speaker in Adhyaya 57)
Concept: Tirtha-merit is not a tradable asset; sacredness is accessed through reverence, right conduct, and proper giving—not ownership claims.
Application: Approach temples and sacred waters as trusteeship and service, not possession; give for upkeep without claiming spiritual monopoly.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the edge of a lotus-filled sacred pond, a stern speaker points toward the water while admonishing a man who clutches a deed-scroll and coin pouch. The pond’s serenity contrasts with the sharpness of the rebuke, as pilgrims in the background offer water with folded hands.","primary_figures":["admonishing speaker","would-be purchaser","pilgrims"],"setting":"Stone steps (ghat) descending into a puṣkariṇī with blooming lotuses, a small shrine bell, and a banyan casting shade; a scribe’s palm-leaf or scroll suggests ‘purchase/ownership’.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","jade green","stone gray","saffron ochre","river-blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sacred puṣkariṇī with lotus blooms and stepped ghat; a sage-like figure rebukes a proud buyer holding a scroll and coins; gold leaf on lotus petals and shrine ornaments, rich reds/greens, stylized water patterns, devotional yet morally charged composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil pond with delicate lotuses; a pointed gesture of admonition, subtle facial expressions; cool greens and blues, refined brushwork, banyan and distant pilgrims; emphasis on contrast between serenity of tirtha and human greed.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized pond with lotus motifs; speaker’s raised hand in instructive mudra; warm pigment palette, temple-step geometry, expressive eyes conveying rebuke and pride.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: lotus-heavy composition with ornate floral borders; central pond as sacred mandala; figures at the ghat—one offering water, one clutching coins; deep blues and gold, intricate lotuses symbolizing purity beyond purchase."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bell","morning birds","footsteps on stone steps"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: lābhātpramanyase = lābhāt + pramanyase; śaktyā datvātha = śaktyā + datvā + atha; (no other mandatory sandhi splits).
FAQs
It critiques the mindset of equating sacred merit (puṇya) with personal profit and then attempting to claim a sacred place as private ownership by paying a price.
The implied lesson is that spiritual merit is not a commodity; sacred benefits should not be reduced to financial gain or ownership claims.
The verse uses the term puṣkariṇī (a pond/sacred tank). Without additional surrounding verses, it is safest to treat it as generic rather than definitively identifying it with Pushkar.