Shloka 15
पानीयदान-प्रपादान-वापीकूपतडाग-निर्माण-प्रशंसा
Praise of Water-Gift and the Construction of Wells and Tanks
वसंते च तथा ग्रीष्मे सलिलं यस्य तिष्ठति । अतिरात्राश्वमेधानां फलमाहुर्मनीषिणः
vasaṃte ca tathā grīṣme salilaṃ yasya tiṣṭhati | atirātrāśvamedhānāṃ phalamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ
वसन्ते तथा ग्रीष्मे यस्य सलिलं तिष्ठति, मनीषिणोऽतिरात्राश्वमेधयोः फलं तस्याहुः।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; culmination of the seasonal teaching: if water remains even in vasanta and grīṣma, sages declare the merit equals Atirātra and Aśvamedha sacrifices—peak śrauta benchmarks.
Significance: Portrays sustaining water through summer (scarcity) as the highest welfare-tapas; encourages long-term infrastructure and compassion toward all beings (paśu) under Paśupati.
Role: nurturing
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that sustaining water for beings—especially through the heat of summer—is a powerful dharmic service whose merit is praised as equal to great Vedic sacrifices, aligning outer welfare with inner purification.
In Shaiva practice, offering and providing water is a direct extension of jalābhiṣeka and compassion: serving life is treated as serving Shiva, the indwelling Lord (Pati) present in all beings.
Maintain a water source (pond, well, trough) and regularly offer clean water while mentally dedicating the act to Shiva—optionally reciting the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a devotional sankalpa.