Shloka 4

Ikṣvāku Dynasty: Vikukṣi’s Offense, Purañjaya’s Victory, Māndhātā’s Birth, and Saubhari’s Fall and Renunciation

Devanagari script

क्षुवतस्तु मनोर्जज्ञे इक्ष्वाकुर्घ्राणत: सुत: । तस्य पुत्रशतज्येष्ठा विकुक्षिनिमिदण्डका: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

kṣuvatas tu manor jajñe ikṣvākur ghrāṇataḥ sutaḥ tasya putra-śata-jyeṣṭhā vikukṣi-nimi-daṇḍakāḥ

Translation

Manu’s son was Ikṣvāku; when Manu sneezed, Ikṣvāku was born from his nostrils. King Ikṣvāku had one hundred sons, among whom Vikukṣi, Nimi, and Daṇḍakā were the most prominent.

Synonyms

• क्षुवतः: of Kṣuvata
• क्षुवतः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of Kṣuvata’

• तु: and
• तु: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधानार्थक/समुच्चय (particle: ‘and/but’)

• मनॊः: of Manu
• मनॊः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of Manu’

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: क्रिया (birth event)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन — ‘was born’

• इक्ष्वाकुः: Ikṣvāku
• इक्ष्वाकुः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — proper name

• घ्राणतः: from (his) nose
• घ्राणतः: अपादान (source/origin)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘from the nose’

• सुतः: a son
• सुतः: सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (appositional identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘son’ (apposition to Ikṣvāku)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘of him’ (Ikṣvāku)

• पुत्र-शत-ज्येष्ठाः: (his) hundred sons, headed by the eldest
• पुत्र-शत-ज्येष्ठाः: विशेषण (qualifier of following names)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — तत्पुरुष: ‘having a hundred sons as (his) elders/foremost’ i.e., ‘whose eldest among a hundred sons’ (context: list of sons)

• विकुक्षि-निमि-दण्डकाः: Vikukṣi, Nimi, Daṇḍaka
• विकुक्षि-निमि-दण्डकाः: कर्ता (enumerated subjects/sons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकुक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + निमि (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — द्वन्द्व-समास: ‘Vikukṣi, Nimi, and Daṇḍaka (etc.)’ (names in a list)

Purport

According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, although the Bhāgavatam (9.1.11-12) has previously included Ikṣvāku among the ten sons begotten by Manu in his wife Śraddhā, this was a generalization. It is here specifically explained that Ikṣvāku was born simply from the sneezing of Manu.

Characters & Entities

• Manu (Vaivasvata Manu)
• Ikṣvāku
• Vikukṣi
• Nimi
• Daṇḍaka

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the birth of Ikshvaku?

This verse states that Ikṣvāku was born from Manu’s nostril at the moment Manu sneezed, indicating a wondrous, divinely arranged origin for the Sūryavaṁśa line.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 9.6.4 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, continuing the genealogies of Vaivasvata Manu’s descendants in the Ninth Canto.

What is the practical takeaway of Bhagavatam 9.6.4 for modern life?

It reminds readers that history in the Bhāgavatam is ultimately sacred lineage and divine providence—encouraging humility and faith that higher order can operate beyond ordinary expectations.