Shloka 13

Origins of the Maruts — Origins of the Maruts Across the Manvantaras (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

ततस्तु षष्ठे ऽहनि पार्थिवेन ऋतुर्न वन्ध्यो ऽद्य भवेद् विचिन्त्य रराम तन्व्या सह कामचारी ततो ऽम्बरात् प्राच्यवतास्य शुक्रम्

Transliteration

tatastu ṣaṣṭhe 'hani pārthivena ṛturna vandhyo 'dya bhaved vicintya rarāma tanvyā saha kāmacārī tato 'mbarāt prācyavatāsya śukram

Translation

Then, on the sixth day, the king—reflecting, ‘In this season (fertile time) she should not remain barren today’—sporting at will, enjoyed with the slender lady. Thereupon his semen fell down from the sky.

Speakers

• Narrator addressing Nārada (implicit continuation from prior verse).

Key Themes

• Conception and lineage
• Ṛtu as fertility timing
• Erotic/householder dimension within Itihasa frame
• Miraculous descent from the sky

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shringara", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

How should ‘ṛtu’ be understood here—calendar season or fertility window?

While ṛtu literally means ‘season,’ Purāṇic narrative often uses it in the sense of the woman’s fertile period (ṛtu-kāla). The king’s thought ‘she should not be barren today’ points to conception timing rather than meteorological season.

Why does the text say the semen ‘fell from the sky’?

Because the couple is described as remaining in mid-air (‘ambara’) by divine yoga. The narrative’s marvel is that the generative act occurs aloft, and the physical consequence (śukra) descends to become the seed for further events (expanded in the next verses).

Does ‘kāma-cārī’ carry a moral judgment?

Not necessarily. In epic-Purāṇic diction it can mean ‘acting freely/at will.’ Here it underscores unimpeded movement and enjoyment in an extraordinary setting, rather than licentiousness.