Shloka 5

Chandravamsa and Yadu Lineage: From Soma to the Vrishnis, Krishna’s Family, and the Transition to Puru

Devanagari script

जह्नोः सुमन्तुरभवत्सुमन्तोरपजापकः / बलाकाश्वस्तस्य पुत्रो बलाकाश्वात् कुशः स्मृतः

Transliteration

jahnoḥ sumanturabhavatsumantorapajāpakaḥ / balākāśvastasya putro balākāśvāt kuśaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Aus Jahnu wurde Sumanṭu geboren; aus Sumanṭu ging Apajāpaka hervor. Balākāśva war dessen Sohn; und aus Balākāśva, so wird erinnert, wurde Kuśa geboren.

Word by Word

• जह्नोः: of Jahnu
• जह्नोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जह्नु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of Jahnu’

• सुमन्तुः: Sumantu
• सुमन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — proper name

• अभवत्: was/became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘became/was’

• सुमन्तोः: of Sumantu
• सुमन्तोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of Sumantu’

• अपजापकः: Apajāpaka
• अपजापकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपजापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — proper name

• बलाकाश्वः: Balākāśva
• बलाकाश्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाकाश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — proper name

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of him/that’

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलाकाश्वात्: from Balākāśva
• बलाकाश्वात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाकाश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘from Balākāśva’

• कुशः: Kuśa
• कुशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — proper name

• स्मृतः: is known/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि-क्त, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘is remembered/called’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating genealogical lineage to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Intergenerational transmission of dharma through progeny and named remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of individuals contrasted with continuity of saṁskāra and tradition.

Application: Cultivate disciplined study and ethical conduct so one’s ‘name’ becomes worthy of remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.139.4–8 (continuous lineage chain)

Characters & Entities

• Jahnu
• Sumantu
• Apajāpaka
• Balākāśva
• Kuśa

FAQs

What is the importance of genealogies in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a remembered lineage (smṛtaḥ), showing how Purāṇas transmit dharmic history through teacher-to-descendant chains of names.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it records ancestral succession, a common Purāṇic method of grounding teachings in recognized lineages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat family and teacher lineages with responsibility—maintain truthful records, honor ancestors, and uphold dharma so that one’s own “name” is remembered for right conduct.