Shloka 9
The Legend of Hemakuṇḍala: Charity, Decline of the Sons, and Yama’s Judgment
तडागं खानयामास विपुलं सागरोपमम् । वाप्यश्च पुष्करिण्यश्च बहुधा तेन कारिताः
taḍāgaṃ khānayāmāsa vipulaṃ sāgaropamam | vāpyaśca puṣkariṇyaśca bahudhā tena kāritāḥ
Mandou escavar um vasto lago, semelhante ao oceano; e também fez construir, em muitos lugares, poços em degraus e tanques de lótus.
Narrator (contextual speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sāgaropamam → sāgara-upamam; vāpyaśca → vāpyāḥ + ca; puṣkariṇyaśca → puṣkariṇyaḥ + ca
FAQs
It presents waterworks—digging tanks and building wells/ponds—as a dharmic act of public benefit that generates religious merit (puṇya), often linked with tirtha-making and charity.
Vāpī commonly denotes a well or step-well/reservoir, while puṣkariṇī denotes a lotus-pond or sacred pond used for bathing and ritual purposes.
The verse implies that serving society through essential infrastructure—especially providing water—counts as a high form of righteous conduct, combining compassion, generosity, and practical stewardship.