Shloka 6
Mahādāna-prakaraṇa (The Doctrine of Great Gifts): Suvarṇa–Go–Bhūmi and Tulā-dāna
संकल्पविहितोयोऽर्थो ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदीयते । अर्थिभ्योऽपीडितेभ्यश्च मनस्वी तेन जायते
saṃkalpavihitoyo'rtho brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradīyate | arthibhyo'pīḍitebhyaśca manasvī tena jāyate
Wealth set aside through a deliberate vow and given to brāhmaṇas—and also bestowed upon the needy and the afflicted—makes a person truly strong-minded and steadfast in dharma.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Significance: Saṅkalpa-based giving is framed as inner purification: intentionality (saṅkalpa) disciplines the paśu’s will, loosening pāśa and making the mind fit for Śiva-oriented dharma and eventual grace.
FAQs
It teaches that dāna performed with saṅkalpa (a conscious, dharmic resolve) purifies intention and produces manasvitā—inner steadiness—supporting the Shaiva path of self-discipline, compassion, and gradual loosening of pāśa (bondage).
In Saguna Shiva worship, outer offerings are meant to transform the devotee’s inner state; charity to Brāhmaṇas, the needy, and the afflicted is treated as service offered to Shiva present in all beings, complementing Linga-pūjā with lived dharma.
Make a clear saṅkalpa before worship (especially on Mahāśivarātri), then perform dāna—food, clothing, or support—to Brāhmaṇas and to those in distress, while maintaining japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to stabilize the mind.