Shloka 60

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

एकदा सा तु सन्ध्यायामुच्छिष्टा व्रतकर्शिता । अस्पृष्टवार्यधौताङ्‌घ्रि: सुष्वाप विधिमोहिता ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

ekadā sā tu sandhyāyām ucchiṣṭā vrata-karśitā aspṛṣṭa-vāry-adhautāṅghriḥ suṣvāpa vidhi-mohitā

Translation

Da sie durch die strikte Befolgung des Gelübdes geschwächt war, schlief Diti einmal in der Abenddämmerung ein, ohne sich nach dem Essen gewaschen zu haben.

Synonyms

• ekadā: once, one time
• ekadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• sandhyāyām: at twilight
• sandhyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ucchiṣṭā: impure (after eating), unclean
• ucchiṣṭā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śiṣ/शिष् + ut-; past passive participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), विशेषण

• vrata-karśitā: weakened by her vow/fast
• vrata-karśitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + karśita (कृदन्त; √kṛś/कृश्, PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vratena karśitā = emaciated by vow/fast), विशेषण

• aspṛṣṭa-vāri-adhauta-aṅghriḥ: whose feet were neither touched with water nor washed
• aspṛṣṭa-vāri-adhauta-aṅghriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-spṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √spṛś/स्पृश्, PPP with negation) + vāri (प्रातिपदिक) + a-dhauta (कृदन्त; √dhāv/धाव् or √dhau/धौ, PPP with negation) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: यस्य अङ्घ्री (पादौ) वारिणा न स्पृष्टौ न धौतौ (whose feet were neither touched with water nor washed), विशेषण

• suṣvāpa: she slept
• suṣvāpa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √svap (स्वप्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vidhi-mohitā: bewildered by destiny/ordinance
• vidhi-mohitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + mohita (कृदन्त; √muh/मुह्, PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-भावार्थक तत्पुरुष (vidhinā/vidheḥ mohitā = deluded by fate/ordinance), विशेषण

Characters & Entities

• Diti

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about purity rules during sandhya (twilight)?

This verse shows that twilight is a sensitive time for dharmic observance, and neglecting basic purification—like washing and touching water—indicates a lapse in proper ritual discipline.

Why did Diti fall asleep in an impure state in Bhagavatam 6.18?

Diti was exhausted by her vow, and due to momentary bewilderment regarding the prescribed rules, she slept without completing the usual purificatory acts.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

Even sincere spiritual effort needs steadiness and mindful routine—fatigue and distraction can lead to avoidable lapses, so simplify practices and maintain consistency.