Padma Purana — Svarga Khanda, Shloka 193

Karma, Non-Violence, Tīrtha & Gaṅgā Merit, Vaiṣṇava Protection, Śālagrāma Worship, and Ekādaśī as Deliverance

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य चरणौ मूर्ध्ना कृत्वा पाणियुगाञ्जलिम् । तदाभिनन्दिताः सर्वे तया सूनृतया गिरा

Transliteration

praṇamya caraṇau mūrdhnā kṛtvā pāṇiyugāñjalim | tadābhinanditāḥ sarve tayā sūnṛtayā girā

Translation

Bowing with their heads at (her) feet, and joining both hands in reverence, they were all then greeted and honored by her with truthful, gentle words.

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) → प्रणम्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययभावकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ल्यप्-प्रत्यय; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण

• चरणौ: the two feet
• चरणौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन

• मूर्ध्ना: with (one's) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (कृदन्त, क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययभावकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; पूर्वक्रिया

• पाणि-युग-अञ्जलिम्: a salutation with joined pair of hands
• पाणि-युग-अञ्जलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाणियुगस्य अञ्जलिः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभिनन्दिताः: were praised/commended
• अभिनन्दिताः: Karta (कर्ता) (वाक्ये प्रथमान्तः; कर्मणि-भावे ‘praised/commended’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नन्द् (धातु) → अभिनन्दित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• तया: by her
• तया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• सूनृतया: with truthful/pleasant
• सूनृतया: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरा इत्यस्य)

• गिरा: speech/words
• गिरा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तदाभिनन्दिताः = तदा + अभिनन्दिताः; पाणियुगाञ्जलिम् = पाणि-युग-अञ्जलिम् (समास/सन्धि).

FAQs

What practice of reverence is described in this verse?

It describes bowing with one’s head at the feet of the revered person and offering añjali—joining both hands in a gesture of respectful salutation.

What is the significance of “sūnṛtayā girā” here?

“Sūnṛtā” indicates speech that is both truthful and pleasing—an ethical ideal in Dharma literature: truth communicated with gentleness rather than harshness.

What ethical lesson does this verse convey?

It presents a model of ideal conduct: humility in gesture (bowing and añjali) paired with integrity and kindness in speech (truthful, gentle words).