Shloka 36
Kṣetra–Kāla–Phala-kramaḥ
Hierarchy of Sacred Place, Time, and Ritual Fruit
बालानां ब्रह्मबुद्ध्या हि देयं विद्यार्थिभिर्नरैः । यूनां च विष्णुबुद्ध्या हि पुत्रकामार्थिभिर्नरैः
bālānāṃ brahmabuddhyā hi deyaṃ vidyārthibhirnaraiḥ | yūnāṃ ca viṣṇubuddhyā hi putrakāmārthibhirnaraiḥ
جو لوگ علم کے طالب ہیں وہ بچوں کو برہما کی بُدھی سے دیکھ کر دان دیں؛ اور جو پُتر کی کامنا رکھتے ہیں وہ جوانوں کو وِشنو کی بُدھی سے دیکھ کر دان دیں۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadyojāta
Sthala Purana: No site legend; the verse teaches bhāva (intentional ‘seeing as deity’) in dāna: children as Brahmā for vidyā, youths as Viṣṇu for progeny—an ethic of sacralizing recipients.
Significance: Promotes devotional cognition (buddhi/bhāva) as integral to dāna, aligning external act with inner orientation; in Śaiva Siddhānta terms, such right-intent supports śuddhi and receptivity to grace.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that dāna becomes spiritually potent when done with sacred vision—seeing divinity in the recipient—thereby purifying intention and reducing ego, a key step toward Shaiva liberation (Pati’s grace freeing the pashu from pāśa).
Saguna worship trains the mind to perceive the Divine in form; similarly, this verse extends that discipline into daily life by honoring Brahmā- and Viṣṇu-principles in living beings, which supports steadiness in Linga-pūjā and devotion to Shiva as the supreme Pati.
Practice dāna with bhāva (inner consecration): before giving, mentally salute Shiva as the indwelling Lord, then give respectfully—especially as an ancillary observance to japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Mahāśivarātri vrata.