Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 120

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

Devanagari script

अत्रिवंशे महाभाग गोविंदः परमेश्वरः । ब्राह्मणस्य स्वरूपेण भवान्वै गरुडध्वजः

Transliteration

atrivaṃśe mahābhāga goviṃdaḥ parameśvaraḥ | brāhmaṇasya svarūpeṇa bhavānvai garuḍadhvajaḥ

Translation

“হে মহাভাগ, অত্রিবংশে গোবিন্দ পরমেশ্বর আবির্ভূত হন; আর আপনি গরুড়ধ্বজ হয়ে ব্রাহ্মণরূপে প্রকাশিত।”

Word by Word

• अत्रिवंशे: in the lineage of Atri
• अत्रिवंशे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (अत्रेः वंशः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• गोविंदः: Govinda
• गोविंदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• स्वरूपेण: in the form (guise)
• स्वरूपेण: Karaṇa/Prakāra (Means/Mode/करण/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• गरुडध्वजः: he whose banner is Garuḍa (Vishnu)
• गरुडध्वजः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (गरुडः ध्वजः यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (context required to attribute reliably within Adhyaya 103)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अत्रिवंशे = अत्रि + वंशे (समास); भवान्वै = भवान् + वै (न् + व → न्व्)

Characters & Entities

• Atri
• Govinda
• Parameśvara
• Garuḍadhvaja (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

Who is referred to as “Garuḍadhvaja” in this verse?

“Garuḍadhvaja” is an epithet of Viṣṇu, describing him as the Lord whose banner bears Garuḍa.

What is the theological point of Viṣṇu appearing in a brāhmaṇa form?

It highlights the Purāṇic theme that the Supreme Lord can assume appropriate forms to teach, protect dharma, or guide devotees, including adopting the guise of a brāhmaṇa.

What does the mention of Atri’s lineage imply here?

It situates the statement within a revered ṛṣi-lineage (Atri’s), lending sanctity and traditional authority to the narrative or identification being made.