Shloka 16

Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरेऽवोचच्चित्रगुप्तोनुकंपकः । अस्त्यस्य गोशिरः पुण्यं किचिन्नाथ क्षमाधुना

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare'vocaccitraguptonukaṃpakaḥ | astyasya gośiraḥ puṇyaṃ kicinnātha kṣamādhunā

Translation

ଏହି ମଧ୍ୟରେ କରୁଣାମୟ ଚିତ୍ରଗୁପ୍ତ କହିଲେ—“ନାଥ, କ୍ଷମା କରନ୍ତୁ, କିଛିକ୍ଷଣ ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଧରନ୍ତୁ; ଏହାର କିଛି ପୁଣ୍ୟ ଅଛି—ଗୋଶିରଃ (ଗାଈର ଶିର ଦାନ)ର ପବିତ୍ର ପୁଣ୍ୟ।”

Word by Word

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• antare: in the interval
• antare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अन्तरे' = 'in the interval/meanwhile'

• avocat: spoke/said
• avocat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• citra-guptaḥ: Chitragupta
• citra-guptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + gupta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (चित्रः गुप्तः इति/नामधेयम्)

• anukampakaḥ: compassionate
• anukampakaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anukampaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (compassionate)

• asti: there is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• go-śiraḥ: a cow’s head
• go-śiraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गोः शिरः)

• puṇyam: meritorious/holy
• puṇyam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying go-śiraḥ)

• kicit: a little/some
• kicit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kicit (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (somewhat/a little)

• nātha: O lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• kṣamā: forgiveness
• kṣamā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'forbearance/mercy' (contextually: 'pardon')

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (now/at present)

Speaker

Citragupta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: etasminnaṃtare → etasmin + antare; a'vocac → antare + avocat (ऽ-लोप/अवग्रह); citraguptonukaṃpakaḥ → citra-guptaḥ + anukampakaḥ (visarga/sandhi simplification); astyasya → asti + asya.

Characters & Entities

• Citragupta

FAQs

What does this verse indicate about how merit (puṇya) is assessed?

It suggests that even a small, specific act or offering can be recognized as merit during moral accounting, prompting compassion or reconsideration in judgement.

Who is speaking, and to whom is he speaking?

Citragupta is speaking, addressing a “nātha” (lord), contextually likely the authority presiding over judgement (commonly Yama in related narratives).

What ethical lesson is implied by Citragupta’s request?

The verse highlights fairness tempered with compassion: judgement should consider any genuine merit and allow patience before a final decision.