Shloka 16
Account of the Ripening of Karma
Childlessness, Offspring, and Remedial Dharma
पूर्वजन्मनि यो मर्त्यो निराशं चातिथिं द्विज । कुर्यात्क्रोधेन दंडं च पुत्रहीनो भवेद्ध्रुवम्
pūrvajanmani yo martyo nirāśaṃ cātithiṃ dvija | kuryātkrodhena daṃḍaṃ ca putrahīno bhaveddhruvam
Hỡi Bà-la-môn, kẻ phàm nhân nào ở đời trước đã để khách đến rồi ra về trong thất vọng, lại vì sân giận mà trừng phạt, thì chắc chắn sẽ trở thành người không có con trai.
Unspecified (didactic narration within Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Atithi-sevā (hospitality) is a grave dharma; cruelty and anger toward a guest ripen as loss of progeny.
Application: Receive guests with calm speech, water, and a seat; never dismiss someone in need with harshness—pause before reacting in anger, especially in the home.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A humble courtyard at dusk: a weary traveler-guest stands at the threshold with a water-pot, eyes lowered in disappointment. Inside, a householder’s face is twisted by anger as he gestures dismissively, while unseen karmic shadows coil behind him, hinting at future sorrow in the lineage.","primary_figures":["householder (gṛhastha)","atithi (guest)","witnessing deity presence as subtle aura of Viṣṇu/antaryāmin"],"setting":"village brāhmaṇa home courtyard with tulasī platform in the background, threshold lamp unlit, simple wooden seat unused","lighting_mood":"lamp-lit twilight with ominous undertone","color_palette":["smoky indigo","earth brown","lamp-amber","ash gray","muted maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a domestic dharma tableau—angry householder turning away a disappointed atithi at the doorway, with a faint golden haloed Viṣṇu-antaryāmin motif in the background; gold leaf highlights on doorway arch and subtle divine aura, rich reds/greens, ornate borders, traditional South Indian detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-foothill courtyard scene, delicate brushwork showing the guest’s downcast expression and the householder’s harsh gesture; cool dusk sky, lyrical trees, refined faces, minimal architecture, moral tension conveyed through posture and spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and expressive eyes—householder in krodha rasa, atithi in karuṇa; warm ochres and greens, temple-lamp motifs, a stylized Viṣṇu aura as witness behind the scene, mural-like flat perspective.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition—threshold with lotus borders, the atithi as a ‘moving tirtha’; deep blue background with gold floral filigree, small tulasī plant motif, moral allegory rendered with ornate patterns rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","distant dog bark","evening wind","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चातिथिम् = च + अतिथिम्; कुर्यात्क्रोधेन = कुर्यात् + क्रोधेन; भवेद्ध्रुवम् = भवेत् + ध्रुवम्
FAQs
It teaches atithi-dharma: a guest should not be turned away disappointed, and anger-driven punishment is condemned as adharma with karmic consequences.
It links actions in a prior life—dishonoring a guest and acting in anger—to a specific future result, illustrating moral causality across births.
In dharma literature, the atithi is to be honored and cared for; neglecting or humiliating a guest is treated as a serious breach of household duty.