Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 9

Yayāti’s Ascent to Heaven

and Entry into Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

गुणानां हि महाराज आकरः सत्यपंडितः । कुर्वंति च महाधर्मं सत्यवंतो महौजसः

Transliteration

guṇānāṃ hi mahārāja ākaraḥ satyapaṃḍitaḥ | kurvaṃti ca mahādharmaṃ satyavaṃto mahaujasaḥ

Translation

O great king, the truthful and the wise are indeed a mine of virtues; and those who are truthful and of mighty vigor practice the highest Dharma.

Word by Word

• गुणानाम्: of virtues/qualities
• गुणानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थ-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• महा-राज: O great king
• महा-राज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (descriptive: “great king”)

• आकरः: mine; source; repository
• आकरः: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject: “(he) is a mine/source”)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सत्य-पण्डितः: truthful scholar; truly learned
• सत्य-पण्डितः: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate adjective of ākaraḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (descriptive: “truthful and learned / truly learned”)

• कुर्वन्ति: they do; they perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महा-धर्मम्: great righteousness; great duty
• महा-धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (descriptive: “great dharma”)

• सत्य-वन्तः: truthful people
• सत्य-वन्तः: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of कुर्वन्ति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (प्रत्यय) → सत्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महा-ओजसः: of great vigor; mighty
• महा-ओजसः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of सत्यवन्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहि (possessive: “those whose vigor is great”)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual dialogue in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: महौजसः → महा + ओजसः (vowel sandhi: ā + o → au). कुर्वंति normalized to कुर्वन्ति (standard present 3pl).

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this Padma Purana verse?

It teaches that truthfulness (satya), joined with wisdom, becomes a repository of all virtues and naturally leads one to practice the highest dharma.

How does the verse connect satya (truth) with mahādharma (great dharma)?

It presents satya not merely as a virtue among others but as a foundation: truthful, wise people embody virtues and therefore live out “mahādharma,” the noblest form of righteous conduct.

What ethical lesson is given to the king here?

A ruler should honor and cultivate truthfulness and wise counsel, since truth-bearing, strong-willed persons are depicted as the natural practitioners of the highest righteousness.