Shloka 116

Viśokā Dvādaśī Vow, Guḍa-Dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift, and Śaila-Dāna (Mountain-Charity) Rites

Devanagari script

गावो देयाश्चतुर्विंशदथवा दश पार्थिव । शक्तितः सप्तचाष्टौ वा पंच दद्यादशक्तिमान्

Transliteration

gāvo deyāścaturviṃśadathavā daśa pārthiva | śaktitaḥ saptacāṣṭau vā paṃca dadyādaśaktimān

Translation

ഹേ പാർത്ഥിവാ, ഇരുപത്തിനാലു പശുക്കൾ ദാനം ചെയ്യണം—അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പത്ത്. ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് ഏഴോ എട്ടോ; കഴിയാത്തവൻ അഞ്ചു നൽകട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• deyāḥ: should be given
• deyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धा॒तु) + ya (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विधेय-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मणि-भावे ‘to be given’ (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ)

• caturviṃśat: twenty-four
• caturviṃśat: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + viṃśati (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण (numeral); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable-like in count); ‘twenty-four’

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘ten’

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śaktitaḥ: according to one’s capacity
• śaktitaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Circumstantial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘according to ability’

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘seven’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), द्विवचन (Dual) रूप ‘aṣṭau’; अर्थतः ‘eight (cows)’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• paṃca: five
• paṃca: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘five’

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• aśaktimān: one who is unable (lacking means)
• aśaktimān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- + śaktimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Not specified in the provided verse (context needed from surrounding verses of Adhyaya 21).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: deyāś = deyāḥ + ca; caturviṃśadathavā = caturviṃśat + athavā; saptacāṣṭau = sapta + ca + aṣṭau; dadyādaśaktimān = dadyāt + aśaktimān (final -t before vowel).

FAQs

What practice does this verse prescribe in the Padma Purana?

It prescribes go-dāna (donation of cows), giving recommended numbers while adjusting the gift to one’s financial capacity.

What is the ethical lesson taught by listing different numbers of cows?

The verse emphasizes proportional giving: dharma is upheld by sincere charity within one’s means, rather than by an unaffordable ideal.

Does this verse indicate a specific tirtha, deity, or bhakti doctrine?

No. This verse is a practical dharma injunction about charitable giving; it does not directly mention tirthas, deities, or a bhakti teaching in its wording.