Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

जलं जलं वदन्तस्ते पित्राद्या यत्र संस्थिताः । यत्नश्च क्रियते यावत्तावद्बालो मृतस्तदा

Transliteration

jalaṃ jalaṃ vadantaste pitrādyā yatra saṃsthitāḥ | yatnaśca kriyate yāvattāvadbālo mṛtastadā

Translation

ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ପିତୃଗଣ ଆଦି ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ଥିଲେ, ସେଠାରେ ସେମାନେ ନିରନ୍ତର “ଜଳ! ଜଳ!” ବୋଲି ଆର୍ତ୍ତନାଦ କଲେ। ଚେଷ୍ଟା ଚାଲିଥିବା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ହିଁ ସେଇ ଅନ୍ତରେ ବାଳକଟି ପ୍ରାଣ ଛାଡ଼ିଲା।

Word by Word

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जलम्: water (repeated)
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति/उच्चारण-बलार्थ)

• वदन्तः: saying
• वदन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present Active Participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पितृ-आद्याः: the fathers and others (ancestors etc.)
• पितृ-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-शब्देन सह: ‘पितरः आद्याः’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative adverb: ‘where’)

• संस्थिताः: were situated/standing
• संस्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘स्थित’ = having stood/being situated

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction: ‘and’)

• क्रियते: is done/is being made
• क्रियते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• यावत्: as long as / until
• यावत्: Kala/Avadhi (काल/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (correlative: ‘as long as/until’)

• तावत्: so long / that long
• तावत्: Kala/Avadhi (काल/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (correlative: ‘so long/that long’)

• बालः: the child/boy
• बालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘dead’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb: ‘then/at that time’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Mention of Pitṛs ‘stationed’ suggests a liminal ritual-space (pitṛ-sthāna/tīrtha) where dharma and unseen beings intersect; such settings in Purāṇas often become sanctified through a later Śiva-event.

Significance: Highlights the urgency of dharmic response (jala-dāna/śānti) and the limits of human effort without daiva; motivates later recourse to Śiva as ultimate refuge.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: jalaṃ jalam

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs (ancestors)

FAQs

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

It highlights life’s fragility and the urgent call of the Pitṛs for “jala” (ritual water), pointing to dharma done in time; in Shaiva understanding, such awareness turns the mind toward Shiva as the stable refuge (Pati) beyond death.

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

The Kotirudra context ties human suffering and death to pilgrimage and Shiva-bhakti; turning to a Jyotirlinga (Saguna Shiva) is presented as a concrete support for grace, purification, and upliftment of both the living and the departed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer water with devotion (tarpaṇa/udaka-kriyā) while remembering Shiva; accompany it with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a steady practice during crisis and bereavement.