Shloka 82

The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity

Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients

Devanagari script

वापीकूपतडागानां गृहवास्तुमयं नृप । तदाभ्युदयिकं प्रोक्तं मातॄणां यत्र पूजनम्

Transliteration

vāpīkūpataḍāgānāṃ gṛhavāstumayaṃ nṛpa | tadābhyudayikaṃ proktaṃ mātṝṇāṃ yatra pūjanam

Translation

Wahai raja, upacara yang berkaitan dengan vāpī (telaga bertangga), perigi dan kolam, serta yang berhubung dengan tapak rumah dan kediaman—semuanya disebut ‘abhyudayika’ (membawa kemakmuran), di mana para Mātṛ (Ibu-ibu Ilahi) dipuja.

Word by Word

• वापी-कूप-तडागानाम्: of wells, ponds, and tanks
• वापी-कूप-तडागानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी + कूप + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक; समाहार-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गृह-वास्तु-मयम्: consisting of house/building-site (construction-related)
• गृह-वास्तु-मयम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह + वास्तु + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) तदाभ्युदयिकम्

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

• तत्-आभ्युदयिकम्: that (is) ‘ābhyudayika’
• तत्-आभ्युदयिकम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (प्रोक्तम् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आभ्युदयिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘तद् एव आभ्युदयिकम्’ (that is called ābhyudayika)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: क्रिया (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; क्त/PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom., 1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगभावः (passive sense) ‘is said/declared’

• मातॄणाम्: of the Mothers (Mātṛ-deities)
• मातॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable); सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (यत्र ... (भवति) इत्यध्याहारः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक; √पूज् धातोः भावे ल्युट्/नामधातु-निर्मित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator addressing a king, nṛpa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: वापीकूपतडागानाम् = वापी-कूप-तडागानाम्; गृहवास्तुमयम् = गृह-वास्तु-मयम्; तदाभ्युदयिकम् = तत्-आभ्युदयिकम्

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is an “abhyudayika” rite in this verse?

Here it denotes a class of auspicious ceremonies performed for welfare, growth, and prosperity—especially in connection with public or domestic works like water reservoirs and establishing a dwelling.

Who are the “Mothers” (Mātṛs) mentioned here?

The Mātṛs are a group of Mother-goddesses (often called Mātṛkās) associated with protection, fertility, and well-being; the verse links their worship to prosperity-oriented rites.

What ethical or practical lesson does this verse convey?

It frames civic and domestic infrastructure—like wells, ponds, and proper housing—as sacred responsibilities, to be undertaken with reverence and ritual care aimed at communal and household flourishing.