TATAKA NIRMANA MAHATMYAKATHANAM

श्रीपुरुषार्थसुधानिधौ धर्मस्कन्ध:
चतुश्चत्वारिंशो़ऽध्याय:

तटाकनिर्माणमाहात्म्यकथनम्
TATAKA NIRMANA MAHATMYAKATHANAM

Glory of Construction of Large Pools
(Sri Purusharthasudhanidhi – Dharmaskandha)

सूत: -
Suta said:
तटाकस्य प्रतिष्ठां ये कुर्वन्ति यतमानसा: ।
ते विन्दन्ति परं श्रेय  इह लोके परत्र च ॥                        १   
Those, who establish large pool of water with controlled minds, attain great benefit here as well as hereafter. (1)

अस्मिन्नर्थे पुरावृत्तमितिहासं वदामि व:।
श्रूयते हि पुरा नाम्ना श्रुतसेन: क्षितीश्वर: ।।                      २ 
In this context, I shall tell you an ancient story. We hear that there was a king named Srutasena in olden days. (2)

उज्जयिन्या: पतिस्तस्य सुदेवीति सुताभवत् ।
सा सुरूपा सुचारित्रा सुस्वभावा सुभाषिणी ।।                 ३
He was king of Ujjain. He had a daughter called Sudevi, who was beautiful and of good conduct, good nature and pleasing speech. (3)

सुशीला सुमुखी साध्वी धर्मे पति [पथि] दृढव्रता ।
बाल्यात्प्रभृति  केनापि बालेन परिबृंहिता ।।                    ४
She had good habits, was pleasant, virtuous and firm in following dharma. She was imbued with simplicity and purity right from childhood. (4)

पानीयदानमकरोत्सर्वधर्मोत्तमोत्तमम् ।                
बाला चङ्क्रममाणा सा राजपुत्री स्मितानना ।।                ५
As a young girl, that princess moved about with a smiling face and performed dharma of charity of water, which is the best among the best of all dharmas. (5)

वयस्या: प्रीणयामास हेमपात्राहृतैर्जलै: ।
गृहाङ्गणेषु रम्येषु विहरन्ती ततस्तत: ।।                        ६
She moved about in charming courtyards of houses, delighting her female friends with water brought in golden vessels. (6)

सखीराह्लादयामास भृङ्गारभरितैर्जलै: ।
परित्यक्तान्यकार्या तु सा केलिहरिणार्भकान् ।।                 ७
She cheered up her female companions with water filled in pitchers. She left her other engagements and delighted the young ones of deer kept for sport by giving them plenty of water. (7)

लीलाशुकांश्च हरितान् वासयष्टिशिखन्डिन: ।
मञ्जीरनादानुगतान् हंसानपि सुचङ्क्रमा ।।                      ८
वारिभि: प्रीणयामास घर्मेषु दिवसेषु सा ।
स्यन्दिनीस्सारिणी: कुल्या: कृत्वा कूलङ्कषोदका: ।।                 ९ 
She delighted amusement parrots, pigeons, peacocks perched on sticks, and swans following the jingling sound of bells of her anklets by providing plenty of water during days of summer. She prepared canals and channels branching from rivers and enabled cows and calves to drink waters. (8-9)

चक्रे हृष्टमुखी ताभिर्हृष्टानुद्यानपादपान् ।
जानन्ति परमं धर्मं शृण्वन्ती भूयसा च तम् ।।                          १०
Seeing the gardens and trees grown nicely, she was very cheerful; also by listening and coming to know well that providing water is supreme dharma. (10)

मार्गेषु कारयामास प्रपा: सन्तापहारिणी: ।
गम्भीरान् सुस्थितैर्बालै: सार्वकालं जलीकृतान् ।।              ११
She set up on roads deep water tanks, filled continuously with water by children positioned for the purpose, in order to quench the thirst of wayfarers including cattle. (11)

अनन्यसाध्यानकरोत् कूपान्मरुषु भूमिषु ।
कान्तारेषु दुरन्तेषु पान्थानन्दविधायिनी: ।।                     १२
She set up deep wells even in impracticable desert areas and inaccessible forests, providing joy to wayfarers. (12)

पुण्या: पुष्करिणीश्चक्रे फुल्लपङ्कजकैरवा: ।
अकारयन्निजश्रीभिर्निदाघपरिपन्थिन: ।।                        १३
She set up with her own wealth pleasing ponds with blossomed lotuses of different colours, in order to beat the heat. (13)

तटाकांस्तटबन्धेन दृढान् गाढाम्बुशीतलान् ।
भुवि राष्ट्रेषु राष्ट्रेषु तेषु तेषु दृढव्रता ।।                                    १४
She set up deep and large pools of cool waters with protective banks in many regions of the country and she was resolute in this service. (14)

जलान् जलप्रतिष्ठाभिरुदजीवयदुत्सुका ।
एवं बहुविधं कालं यापयन्ती यशस्विनी ।।                       १५
She keenly enlivened people by setting up water reservoirs. She spent a long time in this manner and acquired fame. (15)

तोयदानात्परं धर्मं नान्यं सा बह्वमन्यत ।
तस्या: पिता च माता च सख्य: पौराश्च विस्मिता: ।।                 १६
She did not consider any dharma as superior to charity of water. Her father, mother, friends and townsfolk were all amazed. (16)

तथा जनपद: सर्वस्तद्भावं बह्वमन्यत ।
सायंग्रहाश्च बहवस्तीर्थयात्रापराश्च ये ।।                         १७
All people in various habitations respected her mission highly; specially those who gathered in evenings and those who travelled on pilgrimage. (17)

मुनयश्च प्रशस्तां तां प्रशशंसुरितस्तत: ।
एकदा ऋषय: ख्याता: शूरसेनदिदृक्षव: ।।                       १८
अगच्छन् धर्मतत्वज्ञा: श्लाघ्यामुज्जयिनीं पुरीम् ।
दृष्ट्वा राजानमात्मज्ञा: श्लाघ्यं धर्मं निवेद्य च ।।               १९
Ascetics praised her highly everywhere. Once well known Rishis, who were knowers of the true principles of dharma, came to the acclaimed city of Ujjain, eager to see Surasena. They met the king and expressed happiness at the praiseworthy dharma (of charity of water). (18-19)
Surasena must be another name of Srutasena, the king, mentioned in verse 2 above.

आशीर्भिरभिवर्ध्यैनममुना च सभाजिता:।
सर्वेऽपि गन्तुमुद्युक्तास्तत्समीपे स्थितास्तदा ।।                  २०
They showered blessings on the princess; they were all highly pleased with her and, with great eagerness, they went near her and stood there. (20)

प्रभया दीप्यमानाङ्गीं प्राज्यां दीपशिखामिव ।
सुदेवीं ददृशुर्दिक्षु श्रुतपूर्वामनेकश:  ।।                                      २१ 
They saw Sudevi, shining with glory, like a bright and ample flame of a lamp; they had earlier heard of her fame spread in all directions. (21)

सा तदापि कराम्भोजधृतभृङ्गारवारिभि: ।
तोषयन्ती स्थिता तत्र राज्ञ: पार्श्वचरान् जनान् ।।              २२
Sudevi stood there, satisfying people who were by the side of the king with waters from pitchers held in her lotus-like hands. (22)

तां दृष्ट्वा मुनय: सर्वे कौतूहलसमन्विता: ।
निवृत्तगमनोद्योगा: प्रशशंसुर्यशस्विनीम् ।।                      २३
All ascetics, on seeing her, praised that celebrated woman with great wonder, having dismissed the idea of going away from there. (23)

तान् प्रशंसापरान् दीनान् मुनीन्द्रान् दीप्ततेजस: ।
युक्तियुक्तेन चित्तेन प्राञ्जलि: प्रणनाम सा ।।                    २४
Sudevi paid obeisance with folded hands and with appropriate humility to those kings among ascetics, who shone with splendour and were bent upon praising her. (24)

सत्सु सर्वेषु  धर्मेषु सर्वाभीष्टविधायिषु ।
जलदानपरो भाव: कथमस्या: प्रवर्तते ।।                         २५
पृच्छामस्तावदेवैनां राज्ञोऽप्यत्रैव शृण्वत:।
इति सर्वेपि संभूय भूभुजाप्यनुमोदिता: ।।                        २६
The ascetics decided among themselves to ask her in the presence of the king, “When there are many dharmas conferring fulfilment of all desires, how did she become interested in charity of water?”; they got the leave of the king to put this question. (25-26)

तामपृच्छन् सुतपस: सुन्दरीं धर्मचारिणीम् ।
Those great ascetics then asked that beautiful woman, conducting herself as per dharma:
ऋषय: -
भद्रे सर्वेषु धर्मेषु श्रूयमाणेषु ते कथम् ।।                          २७
जलप्रतिष्ठाधर्माय रोचते मतिरुत्तमा ।
अयं हि संशयोऽस्माकं त्वमिमं छेत्तुमर्हसि ।।                    २८
Rishis:
O auspicious woman, when there are many dharmas of which we hear, how did your excellent intellect find it pleasing to do this dharma of setting up water facilities? This is our doubt; you must dispel this doubt. (27-28)

इत्युक्ता सा मुनिवरैर्ज्ञात्वा च हृदयं पितु: ।

तं भावं वक्तुमारेभे तान् प्रणम्य शुभानना ।।                    २९
Addressed thus by the outstanding ascetics, and knowing her father’s heart, that beautiful-faced woman Sudevi started to speak after paying respects to them. (29)

सुदेवी -
सर्वे शृणुत धर्मज्ञा यथा मे भाव  ईदृश: ।
युष्माभि: श्रुतपूर्वा हि तुङ्गकल्लोलमालिनी ।।                ३०
Sudevi:
O knowers of dharma, please listen to my view. You all have certainly heard of the rivers marked by high waves. (30)

भागीरथी सुखी पुण्या कालिन्दीति सरिद्वरा ।
चरन्ति बहवस्तस्या वा[ग]हने तटकानने ।।                     ३१
The pleasing and auspicious Bhagirathi (Ganga) and the best among rivers Kalindi (Yamuna) are known to you. In the forests on the banks of the course of those rivers, many hunters are on the move. (31)

पुलिन्दास्त्रासयन्तो ये पक्षिणोऽपि मृगानपि ।
तेषु कश्चित् पुलिन्दस्तु भार्यया सह दारुण: ।।                   ३२
Many hunters there indulge in terrifying birds and animals. One of those hunters, a fearful one, came one day along with his wife. (32)

मृगान् मृगयया निघ्नन्नगमत् सरितं क्षणात् ।
तत्र घर्माभिसन्तप्त: सहभार्यो वनेचर: ।।                         ३३
Killing animals during his hunting expedition, that forest-dweller came to the river quickly together with his wife, tormented by the heat. (33)

स्नात्वोत्थाय तटोपान्ते मृगं कञ्चिद्ददर्श ह ।
हन्तुकाम: स सहसा भार्यां मुक्त्वा धनुर्धर: ।।                           ३४
After taking bath, he got up and saw an animal on the riverbank. Wishing to kill that animal, he ran quickly, with bow in hand, leaving his wife behind. (34)

अथ दुद्राव हरिणं दुरन्तेन च हारित: ।
सा पुलिन्दी च घर्मार्ता स्नात्वोत्तीर्य ससम्भ्रमम् ।।              ३५
Put down by the long intervening distance, he ran after that deer. The hunter’s wife, also tormented by the heat, got out of the river quickly after bath. (35)

भर्तारमनुगच्छन्ती पुलिनेऽङ्गारसन्निभे।
पदात् पदं च चलितुमपारीणा1तृषाकुला ।।                    ३६
She tried to follow her husband on that fiery sandbank; she was miserable with thirst and had increasing hardship with every advancing step. (36)

स्थिता सरित्तटोपान्ते कस्यापि च तरोरध: ।
तत्र दीप्तै: करैर्भानो: कठोरै: परिपीडित: ।।                      ३७
On the riverbank, at the foot of a tree, tormented by the harsh and flaming rays of the Sun was a crane. (37)

दीन: कन्ठलुठत्प्राणो निश्चेष्ट: स्रस्तपक्षति: ।
बकोट: कोपि दृष्टोऽभूत् पिपासागाढमूर्छित: ।।                 ३८
The poor crane was seen to be immobile, with life-force hanging in the throat, the wings getting separated at the root and unconscious with extreme thirst. (38)

तं दृष्ट्वा गाढकारुण्यात् पुलिन्दी पतितं भुवि ।
अहो गाढातपार्तोऽयमिति चिन्ताकुलाभवत् ।।                 ३९
On seeing the crane lying on the ground in this condition, the hunter’s wife, out of deep compassion, felt miserable with anxiety that this crane was in deep agony owing to extreme heat. (39)

पापिनोऽपि मति: पुण्या कदाचिज्जायते भृशम् ।
तस्मिन् कृपावती जाता यत्तथा जीवघातिनी ।।                ४०
Even the mind of a sinner sometimes becomes very virtuous and compassionate; this is what happened to that woman, who was by nature killer of living beings. (40)

अथ सा कचबन्धस्थं सद्य: स्नानोज्ज्वलज्जलम् ।
परिमुच्यायतं कृत्वा कराभ्यामवलम्ब्य च ।।                    ४१
She immediately let down waters trapped in her hairs during bath by loosening the hairs and holding them in the hands. (41)

तन्निर्गतैर्जलापूरै:  सिषेचोन्मोहितं खगम्।
अम्बुसेकेन तेनासावाश्वस्त: किञ्चिदुन्मुख: ।।                    ४२
She let those waters down on the unconscious bird; on contact with the waters, the bird felt a little relieved and looked up. (42)

उन्मील्य नयने किञ्चित् कथञ्चिद्भुग्नतारके ।
शयान  एव स्रस्ताङ्गो व्यात्तचञ्चुपुटोऽभवत् ।।               ४३
The bird opened its eyes a little and cranked them, and in the lying down position itself, opened its beak, with its wings miserably getting separated. (43)

सा पुन: कृपयाविष्टा श्रेणीकृत्य शिरोरुहान् ।
निष्पीड्य च तदम्बूनि तर्पयामास तन्मुखे ।।                     ४४
The hunter’s wife, overcome by compassion, again straightened her hairs and pressed them and let the waters drop into the opened beak of the crane. (44)

शनैश्शनैर्बकोटस्तदम्बु चञ्चुपुटागतम् ।
पायं पायं जहौ श्रान्तिं प्रत्यापन्नधृतिस्तदा ।।                    ४५
Drinking slowly the waters dropping into the open beak, the crane started to get rid of exhaustion and gain steadiness. (45)

ततश्चिरायिते भर्तर्यनवेक्ष्य तथातपम् ।
गवेषमाणा भर्तारं तस्माद्देशाज्जगाम सा ।।                      ४६
Then the hunter’s wife, with her husband having left quite some time ago, started to search for him, not bothering about the heat, and left that spot. (46)

तत: सा दिवसै: कैश्चित् कालधर्ममुपागता ।
सैवाहमस्य राजर्षे: पुत्री जाता यशस्विनी ।।                             ४७
After some days, that woman expired; I am that same woman, born as the acclaimed daughter of the Rajarishi (king-sage) (47)

जातिस्मरैव विप्रेन्द्रा: सदाचारानुबन्धिनी ।
तादृशेनाम्बुदानेन पक्षिण: श्रान्तिहारिणा ।।                    ४८
O excellent brahmanas, I am blessed with memory of past birth, and I am bound by good conduct by that act of relief of exhaustion of the bird by giving water to it. (48)

क्रूरयापि मया जन्म लब्धमेतदनुत्तमम् ।
जातिस्मरा च तद्भावं न मुञ्चाम्यहमद्य हि ।।                             ४९
Though I was cruel in my past birth, I got this excellent birth; I also have recollection of my past birth; I have not left that attitude of charity even now. (49)

तस्मादल्पस्य तोयस्य दानेन फलमीदृशम् ।
प्रपाकूपतटाकादिप्रतिष्ठासु किमुच्यते ।।                          ५०
Hence the fruit of giving a little bit of water is this much; what to speak of the fruit of establishing tank, well, large pool etc. (50)

नाहं जानामि धर्मस्य गतिं सूक्ष्मां सनातनीम् ।
युष्मादृशमुखादेव श्रुतं धर्मं ब्रवीमि व: ।।                         ५१
I am unaware of the subtle and eternal course of dharma. I am only telling you the dharma heard from persons like you. (51)

सकृत्पानीयदानेन प्रीणयेद्य: पिपासितम् ।
अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य संप्राप्नोति फलं ध्रुवम् ।।                        ५२
If one brings joy to a thirsty person by just giving water once, he certainly reaps the fruit of a thousand Aswamedha yagas. (52)

यथोक्तया य: प्रपया तोषयेत्तृषितान् जनान् ।
सकृत्पानीयदातु: स फलं विन्देच्छताधिकम् ।।                  ५३
If one satisfies thirsty people through provision of proper water tanks, he shall get the fruit, a hundred times more than that of giving water just once. (53)

अशोष्यसलिलं कूपं य: करोत्यार्द्रमानस: ।
फलं सहस्रगुणितं संप्राप्नोति प्रपाकृतम् ।।                        ५४ 
With compassionate mind, if one sets up well giving inexhaustible water, he reaps the fruit, a thousand times greater than that of providing water tank. (54)

क्रियन्ते सुधिया येन पुष्करिण्यः शुभोदका: ।
सङ्ख्यात: कूपकर्तुश्च प्राप्नुयादयुतं फलम् ।।                     ५५
If a wise man creates innumerable ponds (with flowers) of pleasing water, he reaps the fruit, ten thousand times that of providing well. (55)

य: प्राणिनां हितं कुर्यात्सर: पूर्णं जलै: शुभै: ।
स च पुष्करिणीकर्तु: प्रयुताधिकपुण्यभाक् ।।                   ५६
If one is of help to beings by establishing a large basin full of pleasing waters, he gets the fruit, a million times more than that of providing pond. (56)

प्रवर्तयति य: कुल्यां परिवाहवतीं भुवि ।
शक्तस्तस्य फलं वक्तुं सहस्रवदन: फणी ।।                        ५७
If one provides canal overflowing with water on earth, its fruit can be told only by the thousand-mouthed Serpent, Adisesha. (57)

सुजातवारि विप्रेन्द्रास्तटाकं य: करोत्यलम् ।
फलं तस्य परिज्ञातुं शक्नोति परम: शिव: ।।                      ५८
O excellent brahmanas, if one sets up a large and deep pool of water, its fruit can be known only by Parameswara. (58)

तस्मात्तटाकनिर्माणे कार्या बुद्धिर्मनीषिभि: ।
तेषां सिध्यन्ति सुधियामिहामुत्र च सिद्धय: ।।                  ५९
Hence good people should resolve to construct large and deep pools of water; to such noble persons, all great accomplishments are granted here and hereafter. (59)

लविकश्च वराहश्च महिषी कुञ्जरस्तथा ।
अनुमन्ता च कर्ता च षडेते स्वर्गगामिन: ।
इति गाथा च युष्माभि: श्रुतपूर्वा द्विजोत्तमा: ।।                ६०
These six – male buffalo, boar, female buffalo, elephant, one who permits, one who does – attain to Swarga. O excellent brahmanas, this story has been heard by you before. (60)

इति श्रीपुरुषार्थसुधानिधौ धर्मस्कन्धे तटाकनिर्माणमाहात्म्यकथनं नाम चतुश्चत्वारिंशोऽध्याय: 
Thus ends Chapter Twentyfour titled ‘Tatakanirmana-mahatmyakathanam’, ‘Exposition of Glory of Construction of Large Pools’ in Dharmaskandha in Sri Purusharthasudhanidhi.

Translated by
P. R. Kannan

ॐ तत्सत्


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