Shloka 29

चूर्णयन् स्वधनुष्कोट्या गिरिकूटानि राजराट् । भूमण्डलमिदं वैन्य: प्रायश्चक्रे समं विभु: ॥ २९ ॥

cūrṇayan sva-dhanuṣ-koṭyā giri-kūṭāni rāja-rāṭ bhū-maṇḍalam idaṁ vainyaḥ prāyaś cakre samaṁ vibhuḥ

Thereafter, the king of kings, Mahārāja Pṛthu, crushed the mountain peaks with the power of his bow’s tip and leveled the rough places upon the earth; by his grace the globe became almost flat.

चूर्णयन्crushing, pulverizing
चूर्णयन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootचूर्णय् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (agreeing with subject)
स्व-धनुः-कोट्याwith the tip of his own bow
स्व-धनुः-कोट्या:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य धनुषः कोट्या = with the tip of his own bow)
गिरि-कूटानिmountain peaks
गिरि-कूटानि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः कूटानि = mountain-peaks)
राज-राट्the emperor-king
राज-राट्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (राजा एव राट् = king-emperor)
भू-मण्डलम्the earth’s surface
भू-मण्डलम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभू (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूः मण्डलम् = earth-sphere)
इदम्this
इदम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun) used adjectivally with भू-मण्डलम्
वैन्यःVainya (Pṛthu)
वैन्यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; patronymic/epithet of Pṛthu
प्रायःmostly, almost
प्रायः:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रायस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
चक्रेmade, rendered
चक्रे:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
समम्level, even
समम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with भू-मण्डलम्)
विभुःthe mighty one
विभुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; apposition to वैन्यः

Generally the mountainous and hilly portions of the earth are made flat by the striking of thunderbolts. Generally this is the business of King Indra of the heavenly planets, but King Pṛthu, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, did not wait for King Indra to break up the hills and mountains but did so himself by using his strong bow.

P
Pṛthu Mahārāja (Vainya)

FAQs

This verse shows Pṛthu Mahārāja actively organizing and improving the land—leveling the earth for the welfare of all—illustrating that true kingship (rājadharma) means practical protection and prosperity for the citizens.

In the narrative of Canto 4, Chapter 18, Pṛthu reforms the earth’s conditions for agriculture and orderly living; leveling the terrain symbolizes removing obstacles to the earth’s productivity and to stable civilization.

Remove “peaks and pits” that block steady progress—create structure, fairness, and usable systems (at home, work, or community) so that resources can be used responsibly and everyone can thrive.