Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा तु गुरवे दद्यान्मध्यमं पर्वतोत्तमं । विष्कंभपर्वतान्दद्यादृत्विग्भ्यः क्रमशो नृप

Transliteration

snātvā tu gurave dadyānmadhyamaṃ parvatottamaṃ | viṣkaṃbhaparvatāndadyādṛtvigbhyaḥ kramaśo nṛpa

Translation

స్నానం చేసి గురువుకు ‘మధ్య’ అనే ఉత్తమ పర్వతాన్ని సమర్పించాలి. ఆపై, ఓ రాజా, క్రమంగా ఋత్వికులకు విష్కంభ పర్వతాలను దానం చేయాలి.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having bathed’

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle: emphasis/contrast)

• गुरवे: to the teacher
• गुरवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मध्यमम्: the middle one
• मध्यमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) (agreeing with पर्वतोत्तमम्)

• पर्वतोत्तमम्: the best mountain
• पर्वतोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: ‘उत्तमः पर्वतः’

• विष्कम्भपर्वतान्: Viṣkambha mountains
• विष्कम्भपर्वतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्कम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘विष्कम्भस्य पर्वताः’

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: to the priests
• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• क्रमशः: in due order
• क्रमशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रमशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: ‘in order/gradually’)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator/instructor addressing the king (nṛpa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: Sandhi resolved: दद्यात्+मध्यमम्→दद्यान्मध्यमम्; विष्कम्भपर्वतान्+दद्यात्→विष्कम्भपर्वतान्दद्यात्; दद्यात्+ऋत्विग्भ्यः→दद्यादृत्विग्भ्यः.

Characters & Entities

• guru
• ṛtvij (officiating priests)
• nṛpa (king)

FAQs

What ritual action is prescribed first in this verse?

The verse begins with snātvā—after bathing—indicating purification as the preliminary step before making gifts.

Who are the recipients of the gifts mentioned here?

The guru receives the ‘middle’ excellent mountain-gift, and the ṛtviks (officiating priests) receive the Viṣkambha mountains in an ordered sequence.

What ethical lesson does this verse convey about religious giving?

It emphasizes orderly, role-appropriate generosity: honoring the guru first and then supporting the priests who perform the rites, reflecting discipline and gratitude in charity.