Shloka 81

Viśokā Dvādaśī Vow, Guḍa-Dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift, and Śaila-Dāna (Mountain-Charity) Rites

Devanagari script

यदक्षयं परे लोके देवर्षिगणपूजितम् । पुलस्त्य उवाच । मेरोः प्रदानं वक्ष्यामि दशधा नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

yadakṣayaṃ pare loke devarṣigaṇapūjitam | pulastya uvāca | meroḥ pradānaṃ vakṣyāmi daśadhā nṛpasattama

Translation

ਉਹ (ਪੁੰਨ) ਜੋ ਪਰਲੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਕਸ਼ਯ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਦੇਵ-ਰਿਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਗਣਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪੂਜਿਤ ਹੈ। ਪੁਲਸਤ੍ਯ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ: “ਹੇ ਨ੍ਰਿਪ-ਸੱਤਮ, ਮੈਂ ਮੇਰੁ-ਦਾਨ ਦੀ ਦਸ-ਵਿਧੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਦੱਸਾਂਗਾ।”

Word by Word

• yat: which/that (gift)
• yat: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• akṣayam: imperishable
• akṣayam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (यत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• pare: in the other (world)
• pare: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (लोके इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी

• devarṣi: divine sages
• devarṣi: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (देवाश्च ते ऋषयः); पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (समासपूर्वपदम्)

• gaṇa: groups
• gaṇa: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (समासपूर्वपदम्)

• pūjitam: worshipped by the hosts of divine sages
• pūjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (देवर्षिगणैः पूजितम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• pulastyaḥ: Pulastya
• pulastyaḥ: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• meroḥ: of Meru
• meroḥ: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; षष्ठी

• pradānam: the giving (donation)
• pradānam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra + dā (धातु)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियानाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• vakṣyāmi: I shall explain
• vakṣyāmi: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन

• daśadhā: in ten ways
• daśadhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daśadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (in ten ways)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सम्बोधन (समासपूर्वपदम्)

• sattama: O best of kings
• sattama: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (सत्तमान् नृपः); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सम्बोधन

Speaker

Pulastya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: mountain

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यदक्षयम् = yat + akṣayam; देवर्षिगणपूजितम् = devarṣi-gaṇa + pūjitam (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); मेरोः प्रदानम् (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध); नृपसत्तम = nṛpa + sattama (कर्मधारय, सम्बोधन).

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Devarṣis
• Meru

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this verse?

It introduces “Meru-dāna” as a form of charity whose merit is described as imperishable (akṣaya) in the higher worlds, and announces that Pulastya will detail it in ten forms.

Who is speaking, and to whom is the instruction directed?

Pulastya is speaking, addressing a king (nṛpasattama, “best of kings”), indicating a didactic dialogue aimed at royal duty and righteous giving.

How does this verse relate to the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa’s broader themes?

Within the creation/ordering frame of the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, it pivots to dharma-in-practice—especially dāna (charitable giving)—as a means to secure lasting spiritual merit recognized by exalted sages.