Shloka 77
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
नास्थिभस्मकपालानि न केशान्न च कंटकान् । तुषांगारकरीषं वा नाधितिष्ठेत्कदाचन
nāsthibhasmakapālāni na keśānna ca kaṃṭakān | tuṣāṃgārakarīṣaṃ vā nādhitiṣṭhetkadācana
ہڈیوں، راکھ، کھوپڑیوں، بالوں اور کانٹوں پر کبھی قدم نہ رکھے۔ بھوسے، انگاروں یا گوبر پر بھی کسی وقت پاؤں نہ رکھے۔
Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses of Svarga-khaṇḍa 55)
Concept: Mindful locomotion is part of śauca: avoid contact with impure remnants (bones, ashes, skulls) and contaminating substances (dung, embers), preserving bodily and ritual cleanliness.
Application: Keep worship areas and pathways clean; avoid stepping on refuse; treat cremation-ground remnants with distance and respect; be attentive in temples/ghats where offerings and remnants may lie.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A temple corridor is swept clean, with a devotee carefully placing each step to avoid scattered thorns and ash from a nearby lamp. In a symbolic corner vignette, cremation-ground remnants—bones and skulls—are shown at a respectful distance, underscoring the boundary between sacred order and impurity.","primary_figures":["devotee walking mindfully","temple sweeper/attendant"],"setting":"temple prakāra corridor with oil lamps, broom, offering area, and a distant cremation-ground silhouette as moral contrast","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp amber","stone gray","smoke charcoal","marigold yellow","cloth white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: temple corridor with gold leaf glints on lamp flames; devotee steps carefully on a clean path while an attendant sweeps away thorns, ash, and dung; symbolic distant cremation-ground elements kept outside the sanctum frame; rich ornamented borders and traditional South Indian architecture.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet courtyard scene with delicate brushwork; devotee’s mindful gait emphasized; small details—thorns, ash, embers—painted precisely; distant muted cremation-ground motif as a cautionary backdrop; cool palette with warm lamp highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines of corridor, lamps, and sweeping gesture; clear iconography of prohibited items (bones/ash/thorns) placed outside the walking path; warm reds and yellows with green accents, mural symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border with floral motifs; temple walkway with lamps and devotees; symbolic impurities rendered as dark motifs outside a central ‘pure’ pathway; deep blues and gold with intricate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft broom strokes","faint temple bell","oil lamp crackle","footsteps on stone","quiet ambient hum"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nāsthibhasmakapālāni = na + asthi-bhasma-kapālāni; keśānna = keśān + na; tuṣāṃgārakarīṣaṃ = tuṣa-aṅgāra-karīṣam; nādhitiṣṭhetkadācana = na + adhitiṣṭhet + kadācana.
FAQs
It teaches śauca (purity) and careful daily conduct: one should avoid stepping on impure or inauspicious substances such as bones, ashes, skulls, hair, thorns, chaff, embers, or dung.
Primarily about ritual and behavioral discipline (ācāra) connected to purity, but it also implies mindfulness and respect for cleanliness in ordinary actions.
Cultivate alertness and cleanliness: avoid careless harm (e.g., thorns/embers) and avoid contact with impure remnants (bones/ashes/dung), reinforcing disciplined living.