Shloka 13

Bhūmi-dānasya Māhātmya

The Pre-eminence of Land-Gift

Devanagari script

यस्य वै शैशिरे काले तडागे सलिलं भवेत्‌ । तस्याग्निष्टोमयज्ञस्यथ फलमाहुर्मनीषिण:

Transliteration

yasya vai śaiśire kāle taḍāge salilaṁ bhavet | tasyāgniṣṭomayajñasya tathā phalam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఎవరి చెరువులో శిశిరకాలం (మాఘ-ఫాల్గుణ) వరకూ నీరు నిలిచి ఉంటుందో, అతనికి అగ్నిష్టోమ యజ్ఞఫలం సమానమని జ్ఞానులు ప్రకటిస్తారు.

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• शैशिरे: in the winter season
• शैशिरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैशिर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• काले: at the time/season
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तडागे: in a pond/reservoir
• तडागे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: may be/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अग्निष्टोमयज्ञस्य: of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice
• अग्निष्टोमयज्ञस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोमयज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: then/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आहुः: they have said/declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मनीषिणः: the wise (men)
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• taḍāga (pond/reservoir)
• salila (water)
• Agniṣṭoma-yajña

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintaining a water reservoir that holds water through winter is praised as a high dharmic service; its merit is said to equal the fruit of performing the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice, emphasizing that life-sustaining public benefit can match great ritual acts.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma, he enumerates meritorious deeds; here he highlights the religious and ethical value of ensuring water availability by keeping a pond filled through the cold season.