Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 61

Aśokasundarī and Huṇḍa: Chastity, Karma, and the Foretold Rise of Nahuṣa

Devanagari script

नानवृक्षसमोपेतैर्वनैर्नीलैर्घनोपमैः । वापीकूपतडागैश्च नदीभिस्तु जलाशयैः

Transliteration

nānavṛkṣasamopetairvanairnīlairghanopamaiḥ | vāpīkūpataḍāgaiśca nadībhistu jalāśayaiḥ

Translation

وكان مُزدانًا بغاباتٍ تضم أشجارًا شتّى، زرقاءَ داكنة كأنها سُحُبٌ كثيفة، وبمواطن المياه: الآبار المدرّجة (vāpī)، والآبار، والبرك، والأنهار، وسائر الغدران والمسطّحات.

Word by Word

• नाना-वृक्ष-समुपेतैः: with (forests) furnished with various trees
• नाना-वृक्ष-समुपेतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/पूर्वपद) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + समुपेत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण of वनैः

• वनैः: with forests
• वनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• नीलैः: dark/blue-hued
• नीलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of वनैः

• घन-उपमैः: like dense clouds
• घन-उपमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of वनैः (cloud-like)

• वापी-कूप-तडागैः: with wells, stepwells, and ponds
• वापी-कूप-तडागैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (list of water-structures)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• नदीभिः: with rivers
• नदीभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/also
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निपात (particle), emphasis

• जल-आशयैः: with reservoirs (water-bodies)
• जल-आशयैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial description within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: nānavṛkṣasamopetair → nānā-vṛkṣa-samupetaiḥ; vanairnīlairghanopamaiḥ → vanaiḥ nīlaiḥ ghana-upamaiḥ; vāpīkūpataḍāgaiśca → vāpī-kūpa-taḍāgaiḥ ca; nadībhistu → nadībhiḥ tu; jalāśayaiḥ → jala-āśayaiḥ.

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred regions in the Padma Purana?

It portrays an ideal sacred landscape as ecologically complete—lush forests and abundant water sources (stepwells, wells, ponds, rivers). Such features commonly mark tīrthas and merit-giving regions in Purāṇic descriptions.

How does this verse connect to Purāṇic ideas of prosperity and merit (puṇya)?

Abundant trees and accessible water are classic signs of dhārmic prosperity. Maintaining and creating water-reservoirs (vāpī, kūpa, taḍāga) is repeatedly treated in Purāṇas as a meritorious act benefiting both people and ritual life.

What ethical lesson can be drawn from the imagery of forests and water bodies?

The verse implicitly praises stewardship of nature: protecting forests and ensuring water availability. It frames environmental care as part of sustaining a righteous and livable sacred world.