Shloka 18

Mahādāna-prakaraṇa (The Doctrine of Great Gifts): Suvarṇa–Go–Bhūmi and Tulā-dāna

Devanagari script

ततो नक्तं समश्नीयाद्दीपान्दद्यात्तु विस्तरात् । कार्तिक्यामिति कर्तव्यं पूर्णिमायां प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

tato naktaṃ samaśnīyāddīpāndadyāttu vistarāt | kārtikyāmiti kartavyaṃ pūrṇimāyāṃ prayatnataḥ

Translation

ຕໍ່ຈາກນັ້ນ ຄວນຮັບປະທານອາຫານຂອງພິທີປະຕິຍານໃນຕອນກາງຄືນ (ນັກຕະໂພຊະນ) ແລະຄວນຖວາຍຕະກຽງເປັນທານຢ່າງລະອຽດ. ພິທີນີ້ຄວນປະຕິບັດດ້ວຍຄວາມພາກພຽນໃນວັນເພັງເດືອນກາຣຕິກາ.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable: at night)

• सम्: together/fully (prefix)
• सम्: Upasarga (उपसर्ग/Preverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• अश्नीयात्: should eat
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• दीपान्: lamps
• दीपान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (ablatival adverb: in detail/at length)

• कार्तिक्याम्: in (the month of) Kārtikā
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात/Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (Gerundive/Obligative), ‘कर्तव्य’ (to be done), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोग (impersonal obligation)

• पूर्णिमायाम्: on the full-moon day
• पूर्णिमायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्णिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb in -tas: with effort)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse prescribes a Kārtika-pūrṇimā vrata pattern (naktabhojana and dīpa-dāna) commonly linked in Purāṇic praxis to Śiva’s grace through vrata and dāna.

Significance: Merit (puṇya) through dīpa-dāna and vrata-discipline; supports purification and eligibility for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a Kārtika Pūrṇimā observance where disciplined conduct (naktabhojana) and the gift of light (dīpadāna) become acts of devotion that purify the soul (paśu) and loosen bondage (pāśa), orienting one toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Offering lamps is a classic upacāra in Saguna Shiva worship—especially before the Linga—symbolizing the awakening of knowledge and devotion; the external light mirrors the inner illumination sought through Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Observe naktabhojana on Kārtika Pūrṇimā and perform dīpadāna (lamp offering/charity) carefully; while doing so, maintain bhakti and optionally accompany the act with Shiva-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).