Shloka 24

स्वायम्भुव-मन्वन्तर-वंशवर्णनम्

Genealogy of Svāyambhuva Manu and the Dhruva Episode

Devanagari script

पृथोः पुत्रौ तु जज्ञाते धर्मज्ञौ भुवि पार्थिवौ । विजिताश्वश्च हर्यक्षो महावीरौ सुविश्रुतौ

Transliteration

pṛthoḥ putrau tu jajñāte dharmajñau bhuvi pārthivau | vijitāśvaśca haryakṣo mahāvīrau suviśrutau

Translation

To King Pṛthu were born two sons, righteous-minded rulers upon the earth—Vijitāśva and Haryakṣa—both great heroes and widely renowned.

Word by Word

• पृथोः: of Pṛthu
• पृथोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• पुत्रौ: two sons
• पुत्रौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-सम्बन्धक/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/पदार्थ-विशेषक (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• जज्ञाते: were born
• जज्ञाते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• धर्मज्ञौ: knowers of dharma
• धर्मज्ञौ: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of पुत्रौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मं जानाति इति); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• पार्थिवौ: kings/rulers
• पार्थिवौ: समानााधिकरण (Apposition to पुत्रौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• विजिताश्वः: Vijitāśva
• विजिताश्वः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; one of the sons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजित + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विजिताः अश्वाः यस्य/विजित-अश्व); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• हर्यक्षः: Haryakṣa
• हर्यक्षः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; the other son)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हरि-अक्ष); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• महावीरौ: great heroes
• महावीरौ: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of the two)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् वीरः); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सुविश्रुतौ: well-famous
• सुविश्रुतौ: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of the two)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-विश्रुत = well-renowned); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Dynastic continuity (sons born to Pṛthu) is presented as dharma’s propagation; in Śaiva Siddhānta, such worldly generation belongs to the created order (māyā) overseen by the Lord, not a Jyotirliṅga-specific account.

Significance: Highlights the ideal of dharmic lineage and responsibility; encourages householders to see progeny and duty as offerings aligned with dharma.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Prithu
• Vijitashva
• Haryaksha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It presents dharmic kingship as a sacred responsibility: rulers who know dharma help maintain order in the world, supporting the soul’s progress toward Shiva (Pati) by protecting righteous living.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though the verse is genealogical, it frames ideal rulers as dharma-guided—an outlook aligned with Saguna Shiva worship, where devotion and social duty support stability for temple, Linga worship, and Shaiva observances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is dharma-anushthana: daily Shiva-smaraṇa (remembrance of Shiva) with disciplined conduct; practitioners may pair this with Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to keep action aligned with dharma.