Shloka 2

Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya

Devanagari script

कांतारे दुस्तरे पंके पुरुशंकुसमाकुलं । आलिं कृत्वा भवेत्पूतो देवत्वं याति मानवः

Transliteration

kāṃtāre dustare paṃke puruśaṃkusamākulaṃ | āliṃ kṛtvā bhavetpūto devatvaṃ yāti mānavaḥ

Translation

દુર્ગમ વનમાં, પાર કરવું કઠિન એવા કાદવમાં, તીક્ષ્ણ અવરોધોથી ભરેલા સ્થાને પણ જે ‘આલિ’ રચી રક્ષારેખા કરે છે, તે મનુષ્ય પવિત્ર થઈ દેવત્વને પામે છે।

Word by Word

• कान्तारे: in a forest/wilderness
• कान्तारे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दुस्तरे: hard to cross
• दुस्तरे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्+स्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• पङ्के: in mud
• पङ्के: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पुरुषशङ्कुसमाकुलम्: filled with stakes/posts (set by men)
• पुरुषशङ्कुसमाकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ālīm)

• आलीम्: a row/embankment (line, causeway-like ridge)
• आलीम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पूतः: purified
• पूतः: Kartṛ (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; पू-धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• देवत्वम्: godhood, divinity
• देवत्वम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत्व (प्रातिपदिक; देव+त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• याति: attains, goes to
• याति: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मानवः: a human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 59)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुरुष+शङ्कु+समाकुलम्→पुरुषशङ्कुसमाकुलम् (समास); भवेत्+पूतः→भवेत्पूतः

FAQs

What does this verse teach about purification in difficult circumstances?

It suggests that even amid danger and hardship, a deliberate act associated with protection/order (making an ālin) can purify a person and lead to elevated spiritual merit.

What is meant by “ālin” in this shloka?

Ālin commonly means a line or row; in context it can imply forming a protective boundary/arrangement—an act that creates safety or order in a perilous place.

What is the ethical lesson implied here?

Creating protection and order for oneself/others in hazardous conditions is treated as a meritorious act that refines character and leads toward higher spiritual attainment.