Shloka 4

Saṃjñā–Chāyā Upākhyāna: Sūrya-tejas, Substitution, and the Birth of Manu, Yama, and Yamunā

Devanagari script

ऋषेऽस्यां त्रीण्यपत्यानि जनयामास भास्करः । संज्ञायां तु मनुः पूर्वं श्राद्धदेवः प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

ṛṣe'syāṃ trīṇyapatyāni janayāmāsa bhāskaraḥ | saṃjñāyāṃ tu manuḥ pūrvaṃ śrāddhadevaḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

O Sage, in her the Sun-god Bhāskara begot three children. And from Saṃjñā, first of all, Manu—Śrāddhadeva, the Prajāpati—was born.

Word by Word

• ऋषे: of the sage
• ऋषे: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the sage’

• अस्याम्: in her
• अस्याम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — ‘in her/ in this (woman)’

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — ‘three’ (agreeing with अपत्यानि)

• अपत्यानि: children
• अपत्यानि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन — ‘offspring/children’

• जनयामास: begot
• जनयामास: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘begot/produced’ (periphrastic perfect)

• भास्करः: Bhāskara (the Sun)
• भास्करः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘the Sun’

• संज्ञायाम्: in Saṃjñā
• संज्ञायाम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — ‘in Saṃjñā’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘Manu’

• पूर्वम्: formerly/first
• पूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: ‘formerly/first’)

• श्राद्धदेवः: Śrāddhadeva (epithet of Manu)
• श्राद्धदेवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धदेव (प्रातिपदिक: श्राद्ध + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative epithet)

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक: प्रजा + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — तत्पुरुष-समास

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Bhaskara (Surya)
• Samjna
• Manu (Shraddhadeva)
• Prajapati

FAQs

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

It situates cosmic dharma in a lineage governed by divine order: Manu (Śrāddhadeva) embodies the regulation of conduct and rites in the world, ultimately functioning under the Supreme Lord (Pati) whose will sustains creation.

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

Though the verse speaks of Surya and Manu, the Uma Saṃhitā frames such genealogies within Shiva’s overarching sovereignty; Saguna Shiva as Lord of cosmic functions empowers devas and Prajāpatis, while Linga-worship aligns the devotee with that sustaining order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is reverence for dharma through śrāddha and daily discipline; in Shaiva practice this is harmonized with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintaining purity with bhasma and devotion.