Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 1

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच पृश्निस्तु पत्नी सवितु: सावित्रीं व्याहृतिं त्रयीम् । अग्निहोत्रं पशुं सोमं चातुर्मास्यं महामखान् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca pṛśnis tu patnī savituḥ sāvitrīṁ vyāhṛtiṁ trayīm agnihotraṁ paśuṁ somaṁ cāturmāsyaṁ mahā-makhān

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Pṛśni, who was the wife of Savitā, the fifth of the twelve sons of Aditi, gave birth to three daughters — Sāvitrī, Vyāhṛti and Trayī — and the sons named Agnihotra, Paśu, Soma, Cāturmāsya and the five Mahāyajñas.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (श्रीमान् शुकः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• pṛśniḥ: Pṛśni
• pṛśniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛśni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• patnī: wife
• patnī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• savituḥ: of Savitṛ (the Sun-god)
• savituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: savitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• sāvitrīm: Sāvitrī
• sāvitrīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvitrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• vyāhṛtim: the sacred utterance (vyāhṛti)
• vyāhṛtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• trayīm: the triad (threefold Veda/knowledge)
• trayīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trayī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• agnihotram: Agnihotra sacrifice
• agnihotram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agnihotra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (अग्नये होत्रम्/अग्नौ होत्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• paśum: animal (sacrifice)
• paśum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• somam: Soma (sacrifice/juice/deity)
• somam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• cāturmāsyam: Cāturmāsya rite (four-monthly sacrifice)
• cāturmāsyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास (चत्वारि मासाः यस्य/सम्बद्धम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mahā-makhān: great sacrifices
• mahā-makhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (महान् मखः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva
• Pṛśni
• Savitā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) mantra and the vyāhṛtis?

This verse states that Pṛśni performed the Sāvitrī mantra along with the three vyāhṛtis (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ) as part of proper Vedic observance.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Pṛśni’s Vedic sacrifices in Canto 6 Chapter 18?

He introduces Pṛśni’s strict adherence to Vedic duties and great sacrifices to set the religious and narrative context for the events that unfold in this chapter.

Practical application of Vedic discipline (yajña and vows) in modern life?

Adopt consistent daily spiritual practice—regular prayer/mantra, self-discipline, and offerings of one’s work—keeping the spirit of yajña as dedication to the Divine.