Shloka 65

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

ततः स पृथिवीपालः पालयन् वसुधाम् इमाम् इयाज विविधैर् यज्ञैर् महद्भिर् भूरिदक्षिणैः

Transliteration

tataḥ sa pṛthivīpālaḥ pālayan vasudhām imām iyāja vividhair yajñair mahadbhir bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ

Translation

Thereafter the protector of the earth, ruling and safeguarding this very world, performed many kinds of great sacrifices, richly endowed with abundant gifts (dakṣiṇā).

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘ततः’ = ‘तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्’ (thereafter/from that)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — सर्वनाम (he)

• पृथिवीपालः: protector of the earth (king)
• पृथिवीपालः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘पृथिव्याः पालः’ = king/guardian of the earth)

• पालयन्: protecting
• पालयन्: Karta (Participial—agentive/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शतृ-प्रत्यय), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘पालयन्’ (while protecting)

• वसुधाम्: the earth
• वसुधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्म (earth)

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — सर्वनाम-विशेषण (this)

• इयाज: he sacrificed/performed rites
• इयाज: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘इयाज’ (he performed sacrifice)

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — करण/सह (by/with various)

• यज्ञैः: sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — करण (by means of sacrifices)

• महद्भिः: great
• महद्भिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — विशेषण (great)

• भूरिदक्षिणैः: with abundant gifts (as fees)
• भूरिदक्षिणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūri + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — कर्मधारयः (‘भूरिः दक्षिणा यस्य’/‘भूरिदक्षिण’ = having abundant fees/gifts); यज्ञैः इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The king sustains the world by righteously protecting the earth and performing yajñas enriched with generous gifts.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support social order through responsible leadership, generosity, and duty-driven service to the community.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly governance and sacrificial order are upheld as service within the Lord’s cosmic arrangement (dharma as divinely grounded).

Characters & Entities

• King (Pṛthivīpāla—earth-protector)
• Earth (Vasudhā)
• Yajña (sacrificial order)

FAQs

What is the significance of yajña in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Yajña is presented as a royal duty that sustains dharma: the king protects the earth materially and reinforces cosmic-social order through great sacrifices accompanied by generous giving.

How does Sage Parāśara frame ideal kingship here?

Parāśara links kingship to two pillars—palana (protection/governance) and yajña (ritual responsibility with charity)—showing sovereignty as service to order rather than mere power.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the verse reflects Vaishnava theology where righteous rule and yajña uphold the divinely ordered cosmos ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality.