Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 13

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

Devanagari script

प्राचीनबर्हिष: पुत्रा: शतद्रुत्यां दशाभवन् । तुल्यनामव्रता: सर्वे धर्मस्‍नाता: प्रचेतस: ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

prācīnabarhiṣaḥ putrāḥ śatadrutyāṁ daśābhavan tulya-nāma-vratāḥ sarve dharma-snātāḥ pracetasaḥ

Translation

أنجب الملك براچينابَرهي عشرة أبناء في رحم شتادرُتي. كانوا جميعًا متساوين في الاسم والنذر، راسخين في الدارما، وعُرفوا باسم «البراتشيتاس».

Synonyms

• prācīnabarhiṣaḥ: of Prācīnabarhi
• prācīnabarhiṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācīnabarhis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; समासः: प्राचीन + बर्हिष् (कर्मधारय)

• putrāḥ: sons
• putrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• śatadrutyām: in/at the Śatadrū (river)
• śatadrutyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatadrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (agreeing with putrāḥ)

• abhavan: became/were
• abhavan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tulya-nāma-vratāḥ: having the same names and vows
• tulya-nāma-vratāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya + nāma + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; समासः: तुल्यं नाम च व्रतं च येषाम् (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थ)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• dharma-snātāḥ: bathed in dharma / purified by righteousness
• dharma-snātāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + snāta (प्रातिपदिक; snāta = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) from √snā (स्ना) with उपपद-समासः: धर्मे स्नाताः

• pracetasaḥ: the Pracetases
• pracetasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pracetasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (name of the ten)

Purport

The word dharma-snātāḥ is significant, for the ten children were all merged in the practice of religion. In addition, they possessed all good qualities. One is supposed to be perfect when one is perfectly religious, perfect in the execution of one’s vows to render devotional service, perfect in knowledge, perfect in good behavior, and so on. All the Pracetās were on the same level of perfection.

Characters & Entities

• Prācīnabarhiṣat (Prācīnabarhi)
• Śatadrutī
• Pracetās

FAQs

Who are the Pracetās in Srimad Bhagavatam?

The Pracetās are the ten sons of King Prācīnabarhiṣat and Queen Śatadrutī, described here as sharing the same name and vows and being purified by dharma.

What does 'dharma-snātāḥ' mean in Bhagavatam 4.24.13?

It indicates they were 'bathed in dharma'—cleansed and refined by righteous conduct and adherence to religious principles.

How can the teaching of shared vows be applied in modern devotional life?

By adopting consistent spiritual disciplines (vows) in a community—such as daily japa, hearing śāstra, and regulated living—one becomes strengthened and purified through steady dharmic practice.