Shloka 46

Vamsha of Dhruva and Prithu; Daksha’s Progeny; Enumerations of Devas, Asuras, Nagas, and Birds

Devanagari script

बलेः पुत्रशतं त्वासीद्वाणज्येष्ठं वृषध्वज ! / हिरण्याक्षसुताश्चासन्सर्व एव महाबलाः

Transliteration

baleḥ putraśataṃ tvāsīdvāṇajyeṣṭhaṃ vṛṣadhvaja ! / hiraṇyākṣasutāścāsansarva eva mahābalāḥ

Translation

O Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva), Bali had a hundred sons, with Bāṇa as the eldest; and the sons of Hiraṇyākṣa too were all exceedingly mighty.

Word by Word

• बलेः: of Bali
• बलेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पुत्रशतम्: a hundred sons
• पुत्रशतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (शतं पुत्राः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाणज्येष्ठम्: with Vāṇa as the eldest
• वाणज्येष्ठम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाण + ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वाणः ज्येष्ठः)

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य ध्वजः वृषः)

• हिरण्याक्षसुताः: sons of Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षसुताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्याक्ष + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हिरण्याक्षस्य सुताः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश विशेषण

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• महाबलाः: very strong
• महाबलाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् बलं येषाम्/महाबलाः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the lineage; not a direct Vishnu–Garuda utterance in this verse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Might and multitude are not ultimate; divine order encompasses all factions, and power must be restrained by dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Relative power within prakṛti; supremacy of īśvara-niyama over worldly strength.

Application: Do not equate scale (followers/resources) with righteousness; cultivate accountability and humility in leadership.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: royal court / battlefield horizon

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.6.44 (Prahlāda’s Viṣṇu-bhakti as counterpoint to asura might)

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Bāṇa (Banasura)
• Hiraṇyākṣa
• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of Bali’s lineage in the Garuda Purana?

This verse situates Bali within a powerful Daitya genealogy, naming Bāṇa as his eldest son and emphasizing the might of Hiraṇyākṣa’s descendants—context used in Purāṇic narratives to frame cosmic conflicts and dharma–adharma themes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s journey or afterlife doctrine; it is a genealogical-historical statement about Daitya lineages, serving narrative context rather than preta/karma teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a reminder that worldly power and lineage are prominent in stories but not ultimate; ethical conduct (dharma) is what gives lasting value beyond strength or inheritance.