Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 18

Nimi’s Disembodied Liberation and the Rise of the Mithilā (Videha) Dynasty

Devanagari script

तत: शीरध्वजो जज्ञे यज्ञार्थं कर्षतो महीम् । सीता शीराग्रतो जाता तस्मात् शीरध्वज: स्मृत: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śīradhvajo jajñe yajñārthaṁ karṣato mahīm sītā śīrāgrato jātā tasmāt śīradhvajaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Daraufhin wurde Hrasvaromā ein Sohn geboren, namens Śīradhvaja (auch Janaka genannt). Als er für das yajña die Erde pflügte, erschien aus der Spitze des Pfluges Sītādevī; daher wurde er als Śīradhvaja bekannt.

Synonyms

• tataḥ: thereafter; then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपादान/क्रमसूचक-अर्थे (thereafter/from that)

• śīradhvajaḥ: Śīradhvaja (a king)
• śīradhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīradhvaja (प्रातिपदिक; śīra + dhvaja)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• jajñe: was born; arose
• jajñe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• yajña-artham: for the sake of a sacrifice
• yajña-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña-artha (प्रातिपदिक; yajña + artha)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• karṣataḥ: of (him) ploughing
• karṣataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; ‘of (him) ploughing’

• mahīm: the earth; ground
• mahīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sītā: Sītā
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• śīra-agrataḥ: from the tip/front of the plough
• śīra-agrataḥ: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīra-agra (प्रातिपदिक; śīra + agra)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), पञ्चमी-अर्थे/देशवाचक (ablatival/adverbial): ‘from the front/tip of the plough’

• jātā: born; arisen
• jātā: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tasmāt: therefore; from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक-लिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• śīradhvajaḥ: Śīradhvaja
• śīradhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīradhvaja (प्रातिपदिक; śīra + dhvaja)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• smṛtaḥ: is called; is known as
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘is called/remembered’

Characters & Entities

• Śīradhvaja (Janaka)
• Sītā

FAQs

How did Sita appear according to the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse states that Sītā manifested from the very tip of the plough while the king was ploughing the earth for the purpose of a yajña.

Why is King Janaka called Śīradhvaja in the Bhagavatam?

Because Sītā appeared from the plough (śīra), and due to that event he became known and remembered as Śīradhvaja.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

It highlights sacred intention in work—when actions are done as an offering (yajña-bhāva), divine outcomes and blessings arise in unexpected ways.