Shloka 33

Gautama–Ahalyā-Upākhyāna: Durbhikṣa, Tapas, and Varuṇa’s Boon (गौतमाहल्योपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

धान्या नि वापयामासुः कालक्रमणहेतवे । आनंदस्तद्वने ह्यासीत्प्रभावाद्गौतमस्य च

Transliteration

dhānyā ni vāpayāmāsuḥ kālakramaṇahetave | ānaṃdastadvane hyāsītprabhāvādgautamasya ca

Translation

കാലക്രമം അറിയുന്നതിനായി അവർ അവിടെ ധാന്യങ്ങൾ വിതച്ചു. ആ വനത്തിൽ ഗൗതമ ഋഷിയുടെ തപഃപ്രഭാവം മൂലം സത്യമായും ആനന്ദം നിറഞ്ഞിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• धान्यानि: grains/crops
• धान्यानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• निवापयामासुः: caused to be sown / sowed
• निवापयामासुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वप् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (Causative) ‘वापय’ + लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग ‘नि-’ (down/into)

• कालक्रमणहेतवे: for the purpose of the passage of time
• कालक्रमणहेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल-क्रमण-हेतु (प्रातिपदिक); काल + क्रमण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तत् + हेतु (चतुर्थी-एकवचन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

• आनन्दः: joy
• आनन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तद्वने: in that forest
• तद्वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-वन (प्रातिपदिक); तद् + वन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रभावात्: due to (the) power/influence
• प्रभावात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• गौतमस्य: of Gautama
• गौतमस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The forest’s ‘ānanda’ is attributed to Gautama’s prabhāva—tapas-śakti that sacralizes place (kṣetra) and foreshadows a later Śiva-centered tīrtha/liṅga episode arising from events around water and conduct.

Significance: Highlights tapas as a field-force: a purified kṣetra becomes conducive to sādhana, harmony, and eventual divine intervention.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma in daily life: even practical acts like sowing crops become sacred when done with right intention, discipline, and in the presence of a realized sage whose tapas generates auspiciousness (prabhāva).

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

Kotirudra narratives often frame sacred geography and disciplined living as supports for Saguna Shiva worship at tirthas; regulating time (kāla-krama) sustains regular pūjā, vrata, and pilgrimage connected to Jyotirlinga devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is niyama (regulated routine): keep fixed times for Shiva-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and vrata observances—using practical time-markers to maintain steadiness in sādhana.