Shloka 4

Bhūmi-dānasya Māhātmya

The Pre-eminence of Land-Gift

Devanagari script

तडागानां च वक्ष्यामि कृतानां चापि ये गुणा: । त्रिषु लोकेषु सर्वत्र पूजनीयस्तडागवान्‌

Transliteration

taḍāgānāṁ ca vakṣyāmi kṛtānāṁ cāpi ye guṇāḥ | triṣu lokeṣu sarvatra pūjanīyas taḍāgavān |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我也将述说已建成之池塘与蓄水之所的功德。凡建造并护持此池者，于三界之中处处堪受敬礼。”

Word by Word

• तडागानाम्: of ponds
• तडागानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall describe/speak
• वक्ष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कृतानाम्: of (those) made/constructed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• ये: who/which (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गुणाः: qualities/benefits
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र

• पूजनीयः: worthy of worship/honourable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजनीय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तडागवान्: one who has a pond / pond-builder (possessor of ponds)
• तडागवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तडागवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• pond/reservoir (taḍāga)
• three worlds (tri-loka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Creating and sustaining public water resources is a high form of dharmic giving: it benefits many beings over time, and therefore brings lasting merit and universal honor to the benefactor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on gifts and righteous conduct, Bhishma continues his discourse by turning to the virtues of constructing ponds/reservoirs and begins outlining their benefits and the esteem gained by the builder.