Difference between revisions of "Jala (जलम्)"

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== '''The significance of Jala''' ==
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== The significance of Jala ==
 
All annas are born of jala, water.
 
All annas are born of jala, water.
 
In Srlmadbhagavata, Sri Vyasacarya gives a detailed
 
In Srlmadbhagavata, Sri Vyasacarya gives a detailed
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great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this
 
great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this
 
world. The Mahabharata, describing the
 
world. The Mahabharata, describing the
greatness of annadana and jaladana, says: <blockquote>'''||na tasmdt paramam danam'''
+
greatness of annadana and jaladana, says: <blockquote>'''|'''|na tasmdt paramam danam
kincidsastiti memanah</blockquote><blockquote>'''anndt prdnabhrtastdta pravartante hi'''
+
kincidsastiti memanah</blockquote><blockquote>anndt prdnabhrtastdta pravartante hi
 
sarvasah ||</blockquote><blockquote>Dear Yudhisthira, I believe that
 
sarvasah ||</blockquote><blockquote>Dear Yudhisthira, I believe that
 
there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water;
 
there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water;
 
because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna
 
because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna
alone do they obtain</blockquote><blockquote>sustenance for living.</blockquote><blockquote>'''||tasmddannam param loke sarvalokesu'''
+
alone do they obtain</blockquote><blockquote>sustenance for living.</blockquote><blockquote>||tasmddannam param loke sarvalokesu
kathyate</blockquote><blockquote>'''anndd balam ca tejasca prdninam'''
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kathyate</blockquote><blockquote>anndd balam ca tejasca prdninam
 
vardhate sadd ||</blockquote><blockquote>That is why anna is said to be the
 
vardhate sadd ||</blockquote><blockquote>That is why anna is said to be the
 
highest in this world. The bala, strength, and tejas, vitality,
 
highest in this world. The bala, strength, and tejas, vitality,
of all living beings always depends upon anna.</blockquote><blockquote>'''||anne datte nareneha prdnd dattd'''
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of all living beings always depends upon anna.</blockquote><blockquote>||anne datte nareneha prdnd dattd
bhavantyuta</blockquote><blockquote>'''prdnaddndddhi paramam na ddnamiha'''
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bhavantyuta</blockquote><blockquote>prdnaddndddhi paramam na ddnamiha
 
vidyate ||</blockquote><blockquote>The one who gives anna indeed gives
 
vidyate ||</blockquote><blockquote>The one who gives anna indeed gives
 
prana, gives life itself. And what can be a greater dana in
 
prana, gives life itself. And what can be a greater dana in
this world than the dana of life?</blockquote><blockquote>'''||annam vdpi prabhavati parity at'''
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this world than the dana of life?</blockquote><blockquote>||annam vdpi prabhavati parity at
kurusattama .</blockquote><blockquote>'''nirajdtenajii vina na kincit'''
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kurusattama .</blockquote><blockquote>nirajdtenajii vina na kincit
 
sampravartate</blockquote><blockquote>But, Kurusrestha Yudhisthira, anna
 
sampravartate</blockquote><blockquote>But, Kurusrestha Yudhisthira, anna
 
itself is born of water. In fact, nothing can exist without
 
itself is born of water. In fact, nothing can exist without
the anna, that is born of water.</blockquote><blockquote>'''||nirajatasca bhagavdn somo'''
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the anna, that is born of water.</blockquote><blockquote>||nirajatasca bhagavdn somo
grahaganesvarah</blockquote><blockquote>'''amrtam ca sudha caiva svaha caiva'''
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grahaganesvarah</blockquote><blockquote>amrtam ca sudha caiva svaha caiva
svadhd tathd</blockquote><blockquote>'''annausadhyo rnaharaja virudhasca'''
+
svadhd tathd</blockquote><blockquote>annausadhyo rnaharaja virudhasca
jalodbhavah</blockquote><blockquote>'''yatah prdnabhrtdm prdndh sambhavanti'''
+
jalodbhavah</blockquote><blockquote>yatah prdnabhrtdm prdndh sambhavanti
visdmpate</blockquote><blockquote>'''devanamamrtam hyannarh naganam ca'''
+
visdmpate</blockquote><blockquote>devanamamrtam hyannarh naganam ca
sudha tathd</blockquote><blockquote>'''pitfndm ca svadhd prokta pasundrh'''
+
sudha tathd</blockquote><blockquote>pitfndm ca svadhd prokta pasundrh
cdpi virudhah'''  '''</blockquote>
+
cdpi virudhah  </blockquote>
  
== '''Soma and Jala''' ==
+
== Soma and Jala ==
 
Soma, the god of grahas, celestial
 
Soma, the god of grahas, celestial
 
bodies, is born of water; and so are amrta, sudha, svaha and
 
bodies, is born of water; and so are amrta, sudha, svaha and

Revision as of 18:33, 23 August 2017

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

Jala as Prana

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

Jaladana: giver of water

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.