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Created page with "'''The significance of Jala''' All annas are born of jala, water. In Srlmadbhagavata, Sri Vyasacarya gives a detailed description of the various annas in the context of prthv..."
'''The significance of Jala'''
All annas are born of jala, water.
In Srlmadbhagavata, Sri Vyasacarya gives a detailed
description of the various annas in the context of prthvidohana, the milking
of the earth, in the story of Prthu. And, jala is the source of
all anna; in fact, ap, water stands for soma through which all anna obtains
the necessary nourishment for growth. That is why the
greatness of annadana and jaladana, of the giving of food and water, is
superior to all others. The danavlras,the ones who give food and water to
others, attain to the best of lokas after their death and achieve
great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this
world. The Mahabharata, describing the
greatness of annadana and jaladana, says:
'''||na tasmdt paramam danam
kincidsastiti memanah'''
'''anndt prdnabhrtastdta pravartante hi
sarvasah ||'''
Dear Yudhisthira, I believe that
there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water;
because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna
alone do they obtain
sustenance for living.
'''||tasmddannam param loke sarvalokesu
kathyate'''
'''anndd balam ca tejasca prdninam
vardhate sadd ||'''
That is why anna is said to be the
highest in this world. The bala, strength, and tejas, vitality,
of all living beings always depends upon anna.
'''||anne datte nareneha prdnd dattd
bhavantyuta'''
'''prdnaddndddhi paramam na ddnamiha
vidyate ||'''
The one who gives anna indeed gives
prana, gives life itself. And what can be a greater dana in
this world than the dana of life?
'''||annam vdpi prabhavati parity at
kurusattama .'''
'''nirajdtenajii vina na kincit
sampravartate'''
But, Kurusrestha Yudhisthira, anna
itself is born of water. In fact, nothing can exist without
the anna, that is born of water.
'''||nirajatasca bhagavdn somo
grahaganesvarah'''
'''amrtam ca sudha caiva svaha caiva
svadhd tathd'''
'''annausadhyo rnaharaja virudhasca
jalodbhavah'''
'''yatah prdnabhrtdm prdndh sambhavanti
visdmpate'''
'''devanamamrtam hyannarh naganam ca
sudha tathd'''
'''pitfndm ca svadhd prokta pasundrh
cdpi virudhah'''
'''Soma and Jala'''
Soma, the god of grahas, celestial
bodies, is born of water;
and so are amrta, sudha, svaha and
svadha; and, rnaharaja,
so are anna, foodgrains, osadhis,
herbs, and vlrudhas, the
grasses, etc. O protector of the
people, all living beings are
born of and live on these various
annas that are all born of
water. Of these, amrta is said to be
the anna of devas, sudha
of the nagas, svadha of the pitrs,
and vlrudhas of the animals.
annameva manusydndm
prdndndhurmanisinah
tacca sarvam naravydghra pdniydt
sampravartate
tasmdt paniyaddndd vai na varam
vidyate kvacit
The manlsis, the thinkers of India,
have described anna as
the prana, the very life, of men.
And, O lion amongst men,
all kinds of anna is born of water.
Therefore, there is no dana
that is greater than the dana of
water, giving of nothing else
can compare with the giving of
water.
tacca dadydnnaro nityam yadicched
bhutimdtmanah
dhanyam yasasyamayusyam
jaladdnamihocyate
satrumscdpyadhi kaunteya sadd
tisthati toyadah
Therefore, the one who aspires to
well-being in this world
and beyond should always give water
to the thirsty. Jaladana,
the giving of water, is said to
endow the giver with wealth,
fame and longevity in this world.
Kaunteya Yudhisthira, the
giver of water always finds himself
to be superior to his
enemies.
sarvakdmamavdpnoti Mrtirh caiva hi
sdsvatim
pretya cdnantyamasndti pdpebhyasca
pramucyate
He, the giver of water, attains to
the fulfilment of all his
desires and everlasting fame in this
world; and after accomplishing
his life here, having been washed of
all his sins, he
enjoys unending pleasures in the
worlds beyond.
xliii
toyado manujavyaghra svargam gatva
mahadyute
aksayan samavapnoti
lokanityabravinmanuh
O, the shining lion amongst men, the
one who gives water
to the thirsty attains to the
immortal lokas on reaching the
heavens. This is what Manu has said.
All annas are born of jala, water.
In Srlmadbhagavata, Sri Vyasacarya gives a detailed
description of the various annas in the context of prthvidohana, the milking
of the earth, in the story of Prthu. And, jala is the source of
all anna; in fact, ap, water stands for soma through which all anna obtains
the necessary nourishment for growth. That is why the
greatness of annadana and jaladana, of the giving of food and water, is
superior to all others. The danavlras,the ones who give food and water to
others, attain to the best of lokas after their death and achieve
great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this
world. The Mahabharata, describing the
greatness of annadana and jaladana, says:
'''||na tasmdt paramam danam
kincidsastiti memanah'''
'''anndt prdnabhrtastdta pravartante hi
sarvasah ||'''
Dear Yudhisthira, I believe that
there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water;
because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna
alone do they obtain
sustenance for living.
'''||tasmddannam param loke sarvalokesu
kathyate'''
'''anndd balam ca tejasca prdninam
vardhate sadd ||'''
That is why anna is said to be the
highest in this world. The bala, strength, and tejas, vitality,
of all living beings always depends upon anna.
'''||anne datte nareneha prdnd dattd
bhavantyuta'''
'''prdnaddndddhi paramam na ddnamiha
vidyate ||'''
The one who gives anna indeed gives
prana, gives life itself. And what can be a greater dana in
this world than the dana of life?
'''||annam vdpi prabhavati parity at
kurusattama .'''
'''nirajdtenajii vina na kincit
sampravartate'''
But, Kurusrestha Yudhisthira, anna
itself is born of water. In fact, nothing can exist without
the anna, that is born of water.
'''||nirajatasca bhagavdn somo
grahaganesvarah'''
'''amrtam ca sudha caiva svaha caiva
svadhd tathd'''
'''annausadhyo rnaharaja virudhasca
jalodbhavah'''
'''yatah prdnabhrtdm prdndh sambhavanti
visdmpate'''
'''devanamamrtam hyannarh naganam ca
sudha tathd'''
'''pitfndm ca svadhd prokta pasundrh
cdpi virudhah'''
'''Soma and Jala'''
Soma, the god of grahas, celestial
bodies, is born of water;
and so are amrta, sudha, svaha and
svadha; and, rnaharaja,
so are anna, foodgrains, osadhis,
herbs, and vlrudhas, the
grasses, etc. O protector of the
people, all living beings are
born of and live on these various
annas that are all born of
water. Of these, amrta is said to be
the anna of devas, sudha
of the nagas, svadha of the pitrs,
and vlrudhas of the animals.
annameva manusydndm
prdndndhurmanisinah
tacca sarvam naravydghra pdniydt
sampravartate
tasmdt paniyaddndd vai na varam
vidyate kvacit
The manlsis, the thinkers of India,
have described anna as
the prana, the very life, of men.
And, O lion amongst men,
all kinds of anna is born of water.
Therefore, there is no dana
that is greater than the dana of
water, giving of nothing else
can compare with the giving of
water.
tacca dadydnnaro nityam yadicched
bhutimdtmanah
dhanyam yasasyamayusyam
jaladdnamihocyate
satrumscdpyadhi kaunteya sadd
tisthati toyadah
Therefore, the one who aspires to
well-being in this world
and beyond should always give water
to the thirsty. Jaladana,
the giving of water, is said to
endow the giver with wealth,
fame and longevity in this world.
Kaunteya Yudhisthira, the
giver of water always finds himself
to be superior to his
enemies.
sarvakdmamavdpnoti Mrtirh caiva hi
sdsvatim
pretya cdnantyamasndti pdpebhyasca
pramucyate
He, the giver of water, attains to
the fulfilment of all his
desires and everlasting fame in this
world; and after accomplishing
his life here, having been washed of
all his sins, he
enjoys unending pleasures in the
worlds beyond.
xliii
toyado manujavyaghra svargam gatva
mahadyute
aksayan samavapnoti
lokanityabravinmanuh
O, the shining lion amongst men, the
one who gives water
to the thirsty attains to the
immortal lokas on reaching the
heavens. This is what Manu has said.