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== जलाशयोत्सर्गत्वम् ॥ Utsarga of Jalashaya ==

== जलाशयोत्सर्गत्वम् ॥ Utsarga of Jalashaya ==

Reservoirs of water that are dug out by man are of four kinds, viz.,<ref name=":0" />

Reservoirs of water that are dug out by man are of four kinds, viz.,<ref name=":0" />

# कूपः ॥ Kupa : a well (5 to 50 cubits in length or in diameter if circular), generally with no flight of steps to reach the water.

# '''कूपः ॥ Kupa''' : a well (5 to 50 cubits in length or in diameter if circular), generally with no flight of steps to reach the water.

# वापी ॥ Vapi : a slightly bigger well (50 to 100 cubits) with a flight of steps on all sides or on three or two sides or even only one side.

# '''वापी ॥ Vapi''' : a slightly bigger well (50 to 100 cubits) with a flight of steps on all sides or on three or two sides or even only one side.

# पुष्करिणी ॥ Pushkarini : is a water body, a pond from 100 to 200 cubits in length or diameter.

# '''पुष्करिणी ॥ Pushkarini''' : is a water body, a pond from 100 to 200 cubits in length or diameter.

# तडागः ॥ Tadaga : is a tank from 200 to 800 cubits in length or diameter.

# '''तडागः ॥ Tadaga''' : is a tank from 200 to 800 cubits in length or diameter.

Providing water for travellers or general public through dedication of Jalashaya (wells, ponds and reservoirs) is an ancient practice. That the beings of all worlds depend in water and so having water reservoirs, ponds, lakes is well documented in the words of Bhishma as follows<blockquote>देवा मनुष्यगन्धर्वाः पितरोरगराक्षसाः। स्थावराणि च भूतानि संश्रयन्ति जलाशयम्॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.58.8)</blockquote>Devatas, human beings, gandharvas, forefathers, nagas, rakshasas and all the immobile beings (such as plants and trees) are dependent on water bodies (for sustenance).

Providing water for travellers or general public through dedication of Jalashaya (wells, ponds and reservoirs) is an ancient practice. That the beings of all worlds depend in water and so having water reservoirs, ponds, lakes is well documented in the words of Bhishma as follows<blockquote>देवा मनुष्यगन्धर्वाः पितरोरगराक्षसाः। स्थावराणि च भूतानि संश्रयन्ति जलाशयम्॥ (Maha. Anush. 13.58.8)</blockquote>Devatas, human beings, gandharvas, forefathers, nagas, rakshasas and all the immobile beings (such as plants and trees) are dependent on water bodies (for sustenance).

|Equivalent to Ashwamedha Yayna

|Equivalent to Ashwamedha Yayna

|}

|}

Anushasana Parva (58.16 to 18) describe the rewards linked to the usage pattern.

Anushasana Parva (58.16 to 18) describe the rewards linked to the usage pattern. Vishnu Dharmottara Purana also describes the rewards in similar lines<blockquote>प्रावृट्काले तु पानीयं तडागे यस्य तिष्ठति ।। १२ ।। (Vish. Dhar. Pura. 296.12)<br>

=== Vishnudharmottara Purana ===

=== Vishnudharmottara Purana ===

Benefits of water and constructing water bodies has been described in Vishnudharmottara Purana

Benefits of water and constructing water bodies depending on their location has been described in Vishnudharmottara Purana.<ref>Vishnudharmottara Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%AF%E0%A5%AC-%E0%A5%A9%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%A6 Adhyaya 296])</ref><blockquote>शक्रलोकमवाप्नोति तडागकरणात्पथि । मरौ तडागे पानीयं यस्य तिष्ठति वै द्विजाः ।।११।। (Vish. Dhar. Pura. 296.11)<br>

=== Vishnu Smrti ===

=== Vishnu Smrti ===

The following are the details from Vishnu Smrti (Adhyaya 91)<ref name=":1" /> outlining the rewards of digging wells and planting trees.<blockquote>अथ कूपकर्तुस्तत्प्रवृत्ते पानीये दुष्कृतस्यार्धं विनश्यति । । ९१.१ । । तडागकृन्नित्यतृप्तो वारुणं लोकं अश्नुते । । ९१.२ । । जलप्रदः सदा तृप्तो भवति । । ९१.३ । ।</blockquote>The digger of a well has the half of his evil acts destroyed as soon as water springs forth in it.  One who digs water reservoirs is for ever freed from thirst and attains Varuna loka. One who gives water will be satisfied for ever (never suffer from thirst).<blockquote>वृक्षारोपयितुर्वृक्षाः परलोके पुत्रा भवन्ति । । ९१.४ । ।वृक्षप्रदो वृक्षप्रसूनैर्देवान्प्रीणयति । । ९१.५ । ।फलैश्चातिथीन् । । ९१.६ । ।छायया चाभ्यागतान् । । ९१.७ । । देवे वर्षत्युदकेन पितॄन् । । ९१.८ । । सेतुकृत्स्वर्गं आप्नोति । । ९१.९ । ।</blockquote>One who plants trees will have them as sons in future existence. One who plants trees please the devatas by their flowers, atithis by their fruits, travellers by the shade of those trees. He pleases the forefathers with the water (trickling down from their leaves) when it rains. One who builds dikes (dams, water reservoirs) attains heaven. <blockquote>देवायतनकारी यस्य देवस्यायतनं करोति तस्यैव लोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१० । । सुधासिक्तं कृत्वा यशसा विराजते । । ९१.११ । ।विचित्रं कृत्वा गन्धर्वलोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१२ । ।</blockquote>One who constructs temples enters the loka of the deity for whom he erected that temple. He who paints the temple, white, acquires brilliant fame while one who colours it with different paints attains gandharva loka. <blockquote>पुष्पप्रदानेन श्रीमान्भवति । । ९१.१३ । । अनुलेपनप्रदानेन कीर्तिमान् । । ९१.१४ । ।दीपप्रदानेन चक्षुष्मान्सर्वत्रोज्ज्वलश्च । । ९१.१५ । ।अन्नप्रदानेन बलवान् । । ९१.१६ । ।</blockquote>By giving flowers he becomes fortunate. Charity of aromatic applications (and scents) endows one with fame. By giving lamps one obtains an excellent eyesight and becomes radiant with lustre. By giving food the donor obtains strength.<blockquote>देवनिर्माल्यापनयनात्गोदानफलं आप्नोति । । ९१.१७ । ।देवगृहमार्जनात्तदुपलेपनात्ब्राह्मणोच्छिष्टमार्जनात्पादशौचादकल्यपरिचरणाच्च । । ९१.१८ । । कूपारामतडागेषु देवतायतनेषु च । पुनः संस्कारकर्ता च लभते मौलिकं फलम् । । ९१.१९ । ।</blockquote>By removing the devanirmalya (remains of an offering to a deity) he obtains the same reward as for giving a cow. Same reward is also obtained by scouring a temple, smearing it with cow-dung, removing the left-overs of the food of a brahmana, by washing his feet and nursing him when sick. One who consecrates anew a well, garden, a pool or water reservoir, a temple (which have been soiled in time) obtains the same reward as he who first made them.

The following are the details from Vishnu Smrti (Adhyaya 91)<ref name=":1" /> outlining the rewards of digging wells and planting trees.<blockquote>अथ कूपकर्तुस्तत्प्रवृत्ते पानीये दुष्कृतस्यार्धं विनश्यति । । ९१.१ । । तडागकृन्नित्यतृप्तो वारुणं लोकं अश्नुते । । ९१.२ । । जलप्रदः सदा तृप्तो भवति । । ९१.३ । ।</blockquote>The digger of a well has the half of his evil acts destroyed as soon as water springs forth in it.  One who digs water reservoirs is for ever freed from thirst and attains Varuna loka. One who gives water will be satisfied for ever (never suffer from thirst).<blockquote>वृक्षारोपयितुर्वृक्षाः परलोके पुत्रा भवन्ति । । ९१.४ । ।वृक्षप्रदो वृक्षप्रसूनैर्देवान्प्रीणयति । । ९१.५ । ।फलैश्चातिथीन् । । ९१.६ । ।छायया चाभ्यागतान् । । ९१.७ । । देवे वर्षत्युदकेन पितॄन् । । ९१.८ । । सेतुकृत्स्वर्गं आप्नोति । । ९१.९ । ।</blockquote>One who plants trees will have them as sons in future existence. One who plants trees please the devatas by their flowers, atithis by their fruits, travellers by the shade of those trees. He pleases the forefathers with the water (trickling down from their leaves) when it rains. One who builds dikes (dams, water reservoirs) attains heaven. <blockquote>देवायतनकारी यस्य देवस्यायतनं करोति तस्यैव लोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१० । । सुधासिक्तं कृत्वा यशसा विराजते । । ९१.११ । ।विचित्रं कृत्वा गन्धर्वलोकं आप्नोति । । ९१.१२ । ।</blockquote>One who constructs temples enters the loka of the deity for whom he erected that temple. He who paints the temple, white, acquires brilliant fame while one who colours it with different paints attains gandharva loka. <blockquote>पुष्पप्रदानेन श्रीमान्भवति । । ९१.१३ । । अनुलेपनप्रदानेन कीर्तिमान् । । ९१.१४ । ।दीपप्रदानेन चक्षुष्मान्सर्वत्रोज्ज्वलश्च । । ९१.१५ । ।अन्नप्रदानेन बलवान् । । ९१.१६ । ।</blockquote>By giving flowers he becomes fortunate. Charity of aromatic applications (and scents) endows one with fame. By giving lamps one obtains an excellent eyesight and becomes radiant with lustre. By giving food the donor obtains strength.<blockquote>देवनिर्माल्यापनयनात्गोदानफलं आप्नोति । । ९१.१७ । ।देवगृहमार्जनात्तदुपलेपनात्ब्राह्मणोच्छिष्टमार्जनात्पादशौचादकल्यपरिचरणाच्च । । ९१.१८ । । कूपारामतडागेषु देवतायतनेषु च । पुनः संस्कारकर्ता च लभते मौलिकं फलम् । । ९१.१९ । ।</blockquote>By removing the devanirmalya (remains of an offering to a deity) he obtains the same reward as for giving a cow. Same reward is also obtained by scouring a temple, smearing it with cow-dung, removing the left-overs of the food of a brahmana, by washing his feet and nursing him when sick. One who consecrates anew a well, garden, a pool or water reservoir, a temple (which have been soiled in time) obtains the same reward as he who first made them.

== References ==

== References ==