Shloka 11
Prayāga’s Supremacy Among Tīrthas: Faith, Yoga, Charity, and the Ethics of Attainment
यथायोगसहस्रेण योगो लभ्येत मानवैः । यस्तु सर्वाणि रत्नानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छति
yathāyogasahasreṇa yogo labhyeta mānavaiḥ | yastu sarvāṇi ratnāni brāhmaṇebhyaḥ prayacchati
ہزار یوگ سادھناؤں سے انسان یوگ پا سکتا ہے؛ مگر جو اپنے سب رتن برہمنوں کو دان کر دے، وہ وہی پُنّیہ نہایت آسانی سے حاصل کر لیتا ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context)
Concept: Dāna (especially to worthy brāhmaṇas) can yield spiritual merit comparable to extensive yogic discipline, making liberation-oriented progress accessible.
Application: Practice regular charity with discernment and humility; support teachers, temples, and dharmic learning; treat giving as worship rather than transaction.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A noble donor opens a jeweled casket, pouring radiant gems into the cupped hands of serene brāhmaṇas seated on kusa mats. The gems glow like condensed starlight, and above them a subtle mandala suggests that the merit of giving can surpass long austerities.","primary_figures":["a donor (gṛhastha or king)","brāhmaṇas (reciters/teachers)"],"setting":"courtyard of a pilgrimage-town dharmaśālā or temple mandapa with ritual vessels and kusa mats","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ruby red","emerald green","gold leaf","ivory white","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a royal donor offering heaps of gems to seated brāhmaṇas in a mandapa, gold leaf on jewelry and gem highlights, rich reds and greens, ornate pillars, traditional South Indian facial stylization, gem-studded ornaments and embossed aureoles emphasizing the sanctity of dāna.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene with delicate brushwork, refined faces of brāhmaṇas receiving jewels, cool shadows and soft sky, lyrical naturalism, patterned textiles, subtle halo-like glow around the act of giving.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat yet vibrant natural pigments, donor extending a tray of gems, brāhmaṇas with palm-leaf manuscripts, temple-wall aesthetic with rhythmic ornamentation, warm reds/yellows/greens.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central act of dāna framed by lotus borders and floral vines, deep blues and gold, peacocks near pillars, stylized gem motifs like stars, devotional ambience with temple iconography in the background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","murmured Vedic chanting","anklet-like chime of ornaments"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथायोगसहस्रेण = यथा + योगसहस्रेण; यस्तु = यः + तु; अन्यत्र सन्धिः न।
FAQs
It contrasts the difficulty of attaining yogic accomplishment through prolonged practice with the great religious merit attributed to generous charity—specifically, giving valuable jewels to brāhmaṇas.
In Purāṇic ethics, brāhmaṇas are often treated as custodians of Vedic learning and ritual tradition; giving to them is presented as a highly meritorious form of dāna when done with faith and proper intention.
No. It uses comparison (arthavāda) to praise dāna by emphasizing its potency, not to deny the value of yoga; the rhetorical point is that selfless giving can yield immense spiritual merit.