Shloka 21

Mahādāna-prakaraṇa (The Doctrine of Great Gifts): Suvarṇa–Go–Bhūmi and Tulā-dāna

Devanagari script

विधितो गोश्च दानं वै सर्वोत्तममिह स्मृतम् । न तेन सदृशं व्यास परं दानं प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

vidhito gośca dānaṃ vai sarvottamamiha smṛtam | na tena sadṛśaṃ vyāsa paraṃ dānaṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରବିଧି ଅନୁସାରେ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ଗୋଦାନ ଏଠାରେ ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ହେ ବ୍ୟାସ, ଏହା ସମାନ କିମ୍ବା ଏହାଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ଦାନ ପ୍ରକୀର୍ତ୍ତିତ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• विधितः: prescribed / according to rule
• विधितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘विधितः’ = विधिपूर्वकः (according to rule)

• गोः: of a cow
• गोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तृ/कर्म-प्रयोगानुसार

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सर्वोत्तमम्: the best of all
• सर्वोत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सर्वेषां मध्ये उत्तमम्’ (superlative)

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this world)

• स्मृतम्: is considered / is said
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘स्मृतम्’ = said/considered

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• तेन: by that / with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु (instrumental: by/with that)

• सदृशम्: similar, equal
• सदृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘समम्’ (equal/similar)

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• परम्: higher, superior
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठम्/अन्यत्’ (higher/other)

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘प्रकीर्तितम्’ = proclaimed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings; addressing the sages, with a vocative reference to Vyāsa within the cited instruction)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General dāna-māhātmya: go-dāna praised as supreme when done by vidhi; not a Jyotirliṅga-specific legend.

Significance: Encourages dharmic giving as a purifier of pāśa (bondage) and as support of social-religious order; in Śaiva framing, it becomes an auxiliary to bhakti and worship.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa

FAQs

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

It teaches that charity becomes spiritually potent when done with proper vidhi (right method, purity, intention), and it praises go-dāna as a foremost dharmic act that supports sattva and accumulated puṇya, aiding the soul’s upliftment toward Shiva’s grace.

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

In Shaiva practice, outer dharma (like prescribed dāna) complements Linga worship: offerings and ethical acts purify the devotee, making devotion to Saguna Shiva steadier and more receptive to Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dāna according to śāstric procedure—especially go-dāna—with purity, right timing, and reverence; pair it with simple Shaiva devotion such as japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to dedicate the merit to Lord Shiva.