Shloka 138

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

Devanagari script

धान्यपर्वतवत्कुर्यादिमं मंत्रमुदीरयेत् । यथा देवेषु विश्वात्मा प्रवरोयं जनार्दनः

Transliteration

dhānyaparvatavatkuryādimaṃ maṃtramudīrayet | yathā deveṣu viśvātmā pravaroyaṃ janārdanaḥ

Translation

धान्यपर्वतवत् कुर्यात्, इमं मन्त्रं उदीरयेत्। यथा देवेषु विश्वात्मा प्रवरोऽयं जनार्दनः॥

Word by Word

• dhānya-parvata-vat: like a mountain of grain
• dhānya-parvata-vat: Adhikaraṇa (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषण (possessing/like); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbially): ‘like a mountain of grain’

• kuryāt: should make/do
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धा॒तु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• imam: this
• imam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• mantram: mantra
• mantram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• udīrayet: should utter/recite
• udīrayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-īr (धा॒तु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (comparative ‘as/just as’)

• deveṣu: among the gods
• deveṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• viśvātmā: the universal Self
• viśvātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• pravaraḥ: the श्रेष्ठ/foremost
• pravaraḥ: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• janārdanaḥ: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: dhānyaparvatavat = dhānya + parvata + vat; kur yādimaṃ = kuryāt + imam; maṃtramudīrayet = mantram + udīrayet; pravaroyaṃ = pravaraḥ + ayam (visarga sandhi).

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana
• Viśvātmā (as an epithet)

FAQs

What ritual action is implied by “like a mountain of grain” (dhānyaparvatavat)?

It suggests assembling or offering a very large heap of grain—typically as a charitable gift (dāna) or ritual offering—while reciting the stated mantra.

How does this verse express Vaiṣṇava theology?

By calling Janārdana (Viṣṇu) the “foremost among the gods” and identifying him as the “Universal Self” (viśvātmā), it asserts Viṣṇu’s supreme status and cosmic immanence.

What ethical lesson does the verse support?

It links devotion (mantra-recitation praising the supreme) with generosity (a substantial grain offering), presenting worship and charity as complementary virtues.