Shloka 13

पानीयदान-प्रपादान-वापीकूपतडाग-निर्माण-प्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

शरत्काले तु सलिलं तडागे यस्य तिष्ठति । गोसहस्रफलं तस्य भवेन्नैवात्र संशयः

Transliteration

śaratkāle tu salilaṃ taḍāge yasya tiṣṭhati | gosahasraphalaṃ tasya bhavennaivātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

秋の季に、ある者の池に水が保たれているなら（衆生のために水を蓄え守る者は）、その者は必ずや千頭の牛を施すに等しい功徳を得る—ここに疑いはない。

Word by Word

• शरत्-काले: in the autumn season
• शरत्-काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time-locative); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शरदः कालः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• तडागे: in a pond
• तडागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• यस्य: whose/of whom
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तिष्ठति: remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गो-सहस्र-फलम्: reward equal to (gifting) a thousand cows
• गो-सहस्र-फलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + सहस्र + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला (गवां सहस्रस्य फलम् = fruit equal to a thousand cows)

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• भवेत्: would be / accrues
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (as ‘there is doubt’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s teaching on dharma and merit to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it extends the taḍāga-dharma teaching: if water remains in one’s pond through śarat (autumn), the merit equals gifting a thousand cows (go-sahasra-dāna).

Significance: Encourages sustaining water availability beyond monsoon—an ethic of ongoing support for beings; in Siddhānta, such dharma supports purification (mala-kṣaya) and readiness for Śiva-anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates lokasaṅgraha (welfare of beings) as Shaiva dharma: sustaining water for creatures is a compassionate act that purifies the doer and accrues great puṇya, supporting the soul’s gradual fitness for Shiva’s grace.

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

In Shaiva practice, devotion to Saguna Shiva is not only ritual (liṅga-pūjā) but also dharmic service; providing water mirrors offering ācamana/abhisheka to Shiva and extends that offering to all beings as Shiva’s manifestations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is jaladāna (water charity): maintain or refill a pond/tank, especially in śarat; while doing so, repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and dedicate the merit to Shiva for inner purification.