Shloka 33
The Greatness of the Kāliṇdī (Yamunā): Merit of Bathing, Charity, and Faith
हतमश्रोत्रिये दानं हतो लोकश्च नास्तिकः । अश्रद्धया हतं सर्वं यत्कृतं पारलौकिकम्
hatamaśrotriye dānaṃ hato lokaśca nāstikaḥ | aśraddhayā hataṃ sarvaṃ yatkṛtaṃ pāralaukikam
جو شخص شروتریہ (وید کا عالم) نہ ہو، اسے دیا گیا دان ضائع ہو جاتا ہے؛ اور ناستک سے بستی تباہ ہو جاتی ہے۔ نیز جو پارلوکک پُنّیہ کے لیے عمل بے شردھا کیا جائے، وہ سب کا سب بے ثمر ہو جاتا ہے۔
Not explicitly specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from Svargakhaṇḍa 3.29).
Concept: Merit is nullified when dāna lacks a qualified recipient and when any religious act is performed without śraddhā; nāstikya corrodes social-spiritual order.
Application: Give thoughtfully: verify integrity/learning of recipients, support genuine dharma institutions, and cultivate faith and attention before rituals, japa, charity, or vows.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn royal court where a sage instructs a king: on one side, a careless donor offers gifts to an unworthy recipient, the offerings turning to ash; on the other, a faithful devotee offers with folded hands, the gift transforming into radiant light rising upward. In the background, a shadowy figure labeled ‘nāstika’ causes a community’s sacred fire to dim, contrasting with a bright altar sustained by śraddhā.","primary_figures":["a teaching sage (purāṇic ṛṣi)","a king (nṛpa)","a worthy Vedic brāhmaṇa","an unworthy recipient (symbolic)"],"setting":"palace hall opening to a yajña-śālā with a visible sacred fire, donation vessels, and palm-leaf manuscripts","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky ash gray","saffron ochre","deep maroon","gold leaf","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage seated on a carved throne-like āsana instructing a crowned king; two vignettes behind them—unworthy dāna turning to ash and faithful dāna becoming a golden aura rising to the heavens; heavy gold leaf embellishment on ornaments, donation vessels, and the yajña fire, rich reds and greens, gem-studded jewelry, traditional South Indian iconography and architectural pillars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate brushwork; the sage’s calm gaze and the king’s attentive posture; two symbolic panels—ashen offering vs luminous offering—rendered with lyrical naturalism, refined faces, pale sky gradients, and subtle manuscript details; cool yet warm-balanced palette with fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized expressive eyes; the sage and king framed by temple architecture and a glowing homa-kuṇḍa; symbolic ash and radiance motifs; natural pigment palette dominated by red, yellow, green with controlled gold accents; wall-painting aesthetic with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central devotional altar with ornate borders; symbolic depiction of śraddhā as lotus-like radiance and nāstikya as fading lamp; intricate floral motifs, hanging bells, and patterned textiles; deep blues and gold accents, with a subtle Vaishnava tilaka motif on the worthy recipient."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low drone (tanpura)","soft conch shell","crackling sacred fire","brief silence after key warnings"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हतमश्रोत्रिये = हतम् + अश्रोत्रिये (m-sandhi: final -m before vowel). लोकश्च = लोकः + च (visarga sandhi: अः + च → अश्च). यत्कृतं = यत् + कृतम् (t + k conjunct).
FAQs
It teaches that charity must be offered appropriately (to a qualified recipient such as a śrotriya) and with faith (śraddhā); otherwise the intended spiritual merit is lost.
It suggests that denial of dharmic foundations (nāstikatva) undermines shared moral and ritual commitments, leading to social and spiritual deterioration.
Śraddhā is presented as essential for actions aimed at other-worldly benefit; without it, even correctly performed merit-seeking acts become ineffective.