Shloka 64
Determination of the Householder’s Dharma
Dāna: Types, Recipients, Timing, and Fruits
न च मूर्खमवृत्तस्थं दशरात्रमुपोषितम् । सन्निकृष्टमतिक्रम्य श्रोत्रियं यः प्रयच्छति
na ca mūrkhamavṛttasthaṃ daśarātramupoṣitam | sannikṛṣṭamatikramya śrotriyaṃ yaḥ prayacchati
Cũng không nên bố thí cho kẻ ngu si, hạnh kiểm xấu—dù đã nhịn ăn mười đêm—mà lại bỏ qua vị śrotriya, bậc thông hiểu Veda ở gần bên, để đem cho người khác.
Not explicitly identifiable from the single verse (context needed from Adhyaya 57 framing dialogue).
Concept: Dāna must be guided by guṇa and conduct, not by superficial austerity; fasting alone does not sanctify a foolish, ill-conducted person.
Application: Evaluate character and competence before supporting someone; don’t let performative piety (extreme fasting) override evidence of conduct and learning.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor stands at a crossroads of choice: a nearby śrotriya sits calmly with a manuscript and water pot, while a gaunt ascetic with harsh eyes and careless demeanor extends a hand, boasting of a ten-night fast. The donor turns respectfully toward the śrotriya, illustrating discernment—honoring learning and conduct over showy austerity.","primary_figures":["a discerning donor","a śrotriya brāhmaṇa","an unworthy ascetic/foolish recipient","a witness elder"],"setting":"village edge near a small shrine and banyan tree; kusa mats, manuscript bundle, begging bowl","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","sage green","pale saffron","slate gray","sunlit gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral-choice tableau—donor with offering tray turning toward a haloed śrotriya seated with palm-leaf texts; an unworthy ascetic with disheveled look stands aside; gold leaf highlights on the śrotriya and offering vessels, rich reds/greens, ornate border framing the ethical decision.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate scene under a banyan; the śrotriya’s calm face and manuscript details rendered finely; the unworthy figure shown with subtle cues of bad conduct; soft light, cool shadows, refined textiles and naturalistic foliage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic clarity—two recipients on either side, donor centered; stylized eyes and gestures; warm pigment blocks, decorative temple-panel border emphasizing dharma-viveka.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with lotus borders; donor offering toward the śrotriya in the central register; peacocks and floral motifs; deep blue background with gold accents, narrative labels implied through iconographic cues."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","soft temple bell","footsteps on earth","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मूर्खम् + अवृत्तस्थम् → मूर्खमवृत्तस्थम्; दशरात्रम् + उपोषितम् → दशरात्रमुपोषितम्; सन्निकृष्टम् + अतिक्रम्य → सन्निकृष्टमतिक्रम्य.
FAQs
It teaches that charity should be directed to worthy recipients—especially learned and disciplined śrotriyas—rather than to the unworthy, even if the unworthy display outward austerities like fasting.
A śrotriya is a person properly trained in the Vedic tradition (śruti), implying learning, discipline, and eligibility to receive religious gifts.
No. It critiques relying on austerity alone as proof of worthiness; moral conduct and genuine qualification are presented as more important for choosing a recipient of dāna.