Shloka 29

पानीयदान-प्रपादान-वापीकूपतडाग-निर्माण-प्रशंसा

Praise of Water-Gift and the Construction of Wells and Tanks

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् । लक्षाणि क्रतवश्चैव सत्यमेव विशिष्यते

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam | lakṣāṇi kratavaścaiva satyameva viśiṣyate

Translation

A thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and Truth were placed together on a balance; even when compared against hundreds of thousands of rituals, it is Truth alone that outweighs and excels them all.

Word by Word

• अश्वमेधसहस्रम्: a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधसहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तुलया: by a balance/scale
• तुलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• धृतम्: was weighed/held
• धृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक

• लक्षाणि: hundred-thousands (lakhs)
• लक्षाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• क्रतवः: sacrifices/rites
• क्रतवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि-प्रायः ‘excels/is superior’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Uma/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Reorients merit from ritual magnitude (aśvamedha) to ethical truthfulness; in Siddhānta terms, external kriyā without caryā is spiritually lighter than satya grounded in devotion.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that inner integrity—satya as a lived commitment to reality and dharma—brings greater spiritual merit than even vast external ritual performance, because purity of mind is central to receiving Shiva’s grace.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga-worship is fulfilled not merely by offerings but by the devotee’s truthful, dharmic life; satya becomes the inner worship (mānasa-pūjā) that makes external pūjā spiritually effective and pleasing to Saguna Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice satya-vrata (a vow of truthfulness) alongside daily Shiva upāsanā—japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with self-examination and speech-discipline—so that mantra and worship are supported by ethical purity.