Shloka 16

पानीयदान-प्रपादान-वापीकूपतडाग-निर्माण-प्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

मुने व्यासाथ वृक्षाणां रोपणे च गुणाञ्छृणु । प्रोक्तं जलाशयफलं जीवप्रीणनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

mune vyāsātha vṛkṣāṇāṃ ropaṇe ca guṇāñchṛṇu | proktaṃ jalāśayaphalaṃ jīvaprīṇanamuttamam

Translation

ໂອ ມຸນີ ວຽາສະ ບັດນີ້ຈົ່ງຟັງຄຸນຄ່າແຫ່ງການປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ດ້ວຍ. ໄດ້ກ່າວໄວ້ວ່າ ຜົນແຫ່ງການສ້າງອ່າງນ້ຳ ແລະແຫຼ່ງນ້ຳ ແມ່ນສູງສຸດ ເພາະມັນຫຼ້ຽງຊີວິດທັງປວງໄດ້ຢ່າງດີເລີດ.

Word by Word

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (हे व्यास)

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: ‘now/then’)

• वृक्षाणाम्: of trees
• वृक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• रोपणे: in planting
• रोपणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ropaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (locative): ‘in/with regard to planting’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• गुणान्: benefits/qualities
• गुणान्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शृणु: hear/listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु) + prokta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेयविशेषणम्: ‘(it is) said’

• जलाशय-फलम्: the fruit/result of (making) water-reservoirs
• जलाशय-फलम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (विधेय-नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśaya (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘जलाशयस्य फलम्’

• जीव-प्रीणनम्: refreshing/satisfying living beings
• जीव-प्रीणनम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (विधेय-नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + prīṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘जीवानां प्रीणनम्’

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Vyasa in the Uma Samhita context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames dharma as jīva-prīṇana (nourishing beings): creating water-reservoirs and planting trees are treated as Śiva-pleasing acts that sustain life and support pilgrimage/settlement.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

The verse elevates compassion-in-action as Shaiva dharma: serving and sustaining life (jīva-prīṇana) becomes a high form of merit, aligning the devotee with Shiva as Pati—the benevolent Lord who supports all beings.

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

Linga worship in the Shiva Purana is not only ritual but also ethical devotion; acts that sustain life—like planting trees or creating water sources—are treated as offerings to Saguna Shiva, the gracious Lord present in the welfare of all creatures.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair Shiva-puja (e.g., japa of Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with seva: planting trees and supporting water access as a living offering, dedicating the merit to Shiva for purification and upliftment.