Shloka 17

Viṣṇu as the Embodied Purāṇas and the Merit of Hearing the Svarga-khaṇḍa

Devanagari script

मेषकर्कटयोर्मध्ये तोयं दत्तं सुशीतलम् । ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे च प्राणास्त्यक्ताश्च तेन हि

Transliteration

meṣakarkaṭayormadhye toyaṃ dattaṃ suśītalam | brāhmaṇārthe gavārthe ca prāṇāstyaktāśca tena hi

Translation

Di antara Meṣa (Aries) dan Karkaṭa (Cancer), air yang amat sejuk telah dipersembahkan. Dan demi para Brahmana serta demi lembu-lembu suci, dia bahkan sanggup mengorbankan nyawanya.

Word by Word

• meṣa-karkaṭayoḥ: of Aries and Cancer
• meṣa-karkaṭayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa-sambandha (अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + karkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः—“of Aries and Cancer”

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक—“in the middle”

• toyam: water
• toyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• dattam: given
• dattam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि क्त/क्तप्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; “given”

• su-śītalam: very cool
• su-śītalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + śītala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—“very cool”

• brāhmaṇa-arthe: for a brāhmaṇa’s sake
• brāhmaṇa-arthe: Prayojana/Hetu (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक—“for the sake of a brāhmaṇa”

• go-arthe: for a cow’s sake
• go-arthe: Prayojana/Hetu (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक—“for the sake of a cow”

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

• prāṇāḥ: lives/breaths
• prāṇāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• tyaktāḥ: were given up
• tyaktāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (त्यज्) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; “abandoned/given up”

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

• tena: by him/thereby
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम—“by him/thereby”

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतुबोधक

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa; broader dialogue context not provided in the input)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: meṣakarkaṭayor madhye → meṣa-karkaṭayoḥ madhye; prāṇās tyaktāḥ ca → prāṇāḥ tyaktāḥ ca; gavārthe → go-arthe; brāhmaṇārthe → brāhmaṇa-arthe.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Go (cow)

FAQs

Why are Meṣa (Aries) and Karkaṭa (Cancer) mentioned in this verse?

They mark a time-range in the solar zodiac, indicating a seasonal period during which offering cool water is especially relevant and meritorious.

What religious value does the verse assign to serving Brahmins and cows?

It treats both as high-priority dharmic recipients of care—so significant that people are described as sacrificing even their lives for their welfare.

What is the ethical lesson emphasized here?

Selfless charity and protection—especially providing essentials like water and supporting vulnerable dependents (cows) and religious custodians (Brahmins)—is portrayed as exemplary dharma.