Shloka 48

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

पित्रापरञ्जितास् तस्य प्रजास् तेनानुरञ्जिताः अनुरागात् ततस् तस्य नाम राजेत्य् अजायत

Transliteration

pitrāparañjitās tasya prajās tenānurañjitāḥ anurāgāt tatas tasya nāma rājety ajāyata

Translation

His subjects—won over earlier by his father—were in turn delighted by him; and from that mutual affection, his very name came to be ‘Rāja’, the king.

Word by Word

• पित्रा: by the father
• पित्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु

• अपरञ्जिताः: not pleased
• अपरञ्जिताः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पर-रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) ‘अपरञ्जित’ = ‘not pleased’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (प्रजाः इति)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• प्रजाः: the subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• अनुरञ्जिताः: made pleased
• अनुरञ्जिताः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) ‘pleased’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (प्रजाः इति)

• अनुरागात्: from affection
• अनुरागात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), काल/क्रमवाचक

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• नाम: the name
• नाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता (अजायत इति)

• राजा: king (as a name/title)
• राजा: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (predicate nominative)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अजायत: arose/came to be
• अजायत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Purpose: Pṛthu embodies the ideal king whose mutual bond with subjects stabilizes society and dharma.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Reciprocal duty (rāja–prajā saṃbandha) and social harmony

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A true rāja is defined by ‘rañjana’—delighting and protecting the people—creating a reciprocal bond of loyalty and care.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Lead through empathy and public welfare; trust grows when authority prioritizes the common good.

Vishishtadvaita: Community and ruler are interdependent parts (aṅga-aṅgī) within the Lord’s ordered whole, sustained by dharma.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Benevolent governance

Key Kings: Pṛthu, Vena

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Prajā (subjects)
• King (Rājā)

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘Rājā’ in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse ties true kingship to the ability to win the people’s hearts—‘Rājā’ is presented as a title arising from mutual affection between ruler and subjects, not merely from power.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the basis of legitimate rule here?

Parāśara frames legitimacy as continuity of dharmic conduct: the father had already endeared the people, and the son sustains that bond by personally pleasing and caring for them.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

In the Vishnu Purana’s worldview, stable kingship and social harmony reflect Vishnu’s ordering power; righteous sovereignty is a worldly expression of the cosmic protector (Viṣṇu) sustaining dharma.