Śiva’s Praise of the Waters (Brahma Purāṇa)
Śiva Kṛta Jala Stuti · śiva kṛta jala stuti, “the praise of the waters spoken by Śiva”
Śiva‘s praise of the Waters is the stotra Bhagavān Śiva spoke as he gave Brahmā a sacred water-jar at his own wedding with Devī Umā on the Himālaya. It is found in the Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3 (verses 27–34), where Brahmā himself tells it to Nārada. In it Śiva praises the Waters as devīs and mothers, and the Earth as another mother, the ground of dharma, of yajña, of enjoyment and of moksha. Its refrain is “Take this water-jar.” Remembering, bowing to, bathing in and drinking that water frees one from the pāpa (sin) of mind, speech and body and grants every desire. The water of this jar is the Gaṅgā water from which the Gautamī later flows.
The setting
Brahmā tells Nārada of the wedding of Śiva and Gaurī. It took place on the Himālaya, adorned with jewels, full of trees and creepers, birds, rivers and lakes, ringed by Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa and Maināka, and encircled by Vasishṭha, Agastya, Paulastya, Lomaśa and other ṛshis. Viśvakarman built the vedi (altar) of jewels and gold with pillars of diamond, ruby and sapphire. The devīs Jayā, Lakshmī, Śubhā, Kshānti, Kīrti and Pushṭi stood around it, Bhagavān Vishṇu honoured it, and the wish-granting cows Surabhi, Nandinī, Nandā and Sunandā made the place beautiful. Ilā did the work of fruitfulness, the herbs the work of growth, Varuṇa the work of drink and Kubera the work of gifts; Agni did whatever the ruler of the worlds desired. The apsarases danced, the Gandharvas and Kinnaras sang, and Maināka held the fried grains for the homa.
After the lāja-homa the couple went round the stone slab, and at the touching of the slab Śiva, urged by Vishṇu, touched the toe of the Devī’s right foot. Brahmā, performing the yajña near Śiva, saw it, and his seed fell. He scattered it in tiny drops, and from those drops the Vālakhilyas were born. Then Brahmā rose from his seat and left the assembly while the devas watched in silence.
Mahādeva said to Nandin: “Call Brahmā here. I shall make him free from pāpa. Even when others commit offences, good people take pity on them.” Then, with Umā, out of compassion for Brahmā and for the welfare of the worlds, Śiva declared: “The Earth and the Waters shall become the means by which those who have done wrong are freed from their pāpas. I shall draw out their holy essence.” He drew out that essence, made the Earth into a water-jar and poured the water into it. With great effort he chanted the Pāvamānī and other sūktas over it and consecrated it, and he remembered Śakti, who sanctifies the universe, and invoked her there.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3
The stotra
Bhagavān Śiva spoke to Brahmā as he gave him the jar:
- “Take this water-jar.”
- “Indeed the Waters are devīs and mothers. The Earth is another mother. So both of them are the causes of existence, creation and destruction.”
- “Here dharma is established. Here the eternal yajña is established. Here bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha, the moving and the unmoving beings, are established.”
- “By remembering it, the pāpa of the mind perishes. By bowing to it, the pāpa of speech perishes. By bathing in it, drinking it and performing abhisheka with it, the pāpa of the body perishes.”
- “This alone is amṛta (nectar) in the world. There is nothing greater in holiness than this. Brahmā, take this water-jar consecrated by me with holy mantras.”
- “Whoever remembers or drinks the water in it attains all desired things. Take this water-jar.”
- “Of all the five elements, water is the element of great power. This water is the best of all waters. Take this water-jar.”
- “Brahmā, by touching, remembering and seeing the water in it, which is very splendid, holy and sacred, one is freed from pāpa.”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3
The phala
As Śiva gives it in the stotra itself: remembering the water destroys the pāpa of the mind; bowing to it destroys the pāpa of speech; bathing in it, drinking it and abhisheka with it destroy the pāpa of the body; whoever remembers or drinks it attains every desired thing; and touching, remembering or seeing it frees one from pāpa.
After the stotra
Having spoken, Parameśvara gave Brahmā the water-jar. The devas joyfully praised Parameśvara, there was great rejoicing, and cries of “jaya” (victory) filled the sky. Brahmā closes his telling to Nārada: during the wedding festival he saw the tip of the Mother’s foot and fell into the state of a fallen one, and the compassionate Father, Śiva, gave him Gaṅgā water kept in the holy jar, holy and purifying even when only remembered. This is the beginning of the account of the Gaṅgā that the Gautamī Māhātmya goes on to tell.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3