Shloka 68

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

त्वं नो वृत्तिप्रदो धात्रा प्रजापालो निरूपितः देहि नः क्षुत्परीतानां प्रजानां जीवनौषधीः

Transliteration

tvaṃ no vṛttiprado dhātrā prajāpālo nirūpitaḥ dehi naḥ kṣutparītānāṃ prajānāṃ jīvanauṣadhīḥ

Translation

The Creator (Dhātā) has appointed you as our giver of sustenance and guardian of the people; therefore grant us, your hunger-afflicted subjects, the life-giving herbs that preserve existence.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — सर्वनाम (you)

• नः: for us/to us
• नः: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — अस्मद्-प्रयोगः (our/to us; enclitic)

• वृत्तिप्रदः: giver of sustenance
• वृत्तिप्रदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛtti + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘वृत्तेः प्रदः’ = giver of livelihood); ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• धात्रा: by the Creator (Dhātṛ)
• धात्रा: Karana (Agent in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — करण (by the Creator/Ordainer)

• प्रजापालः: protector of the people
• प्रजापालः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘प्रजानां पालः’ = protector of subjects); ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• निरूपितः: appointed
• निरूपितः: Kriya (Predicative participle/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-रूप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘निरूपितः’ (appointed/ordained)

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (Imperative/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), परस्मैपदी; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘देहि’ (give)

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन — अस्मद् (to us; enclitic)

• क्षुत्परीतानाम्: of those afflicted by hunger
• क्षुत्परीतानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudh + parīta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपदसमासः (‘क्षुधया परीत’ = beset by hunger); ‘प्रजानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रजानाम्: of the people
• प्रजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — सम्बन्ध (of the people)

• जीवनौषधीः: life-giving herbs
• जीवनौषधीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvana + oṣadhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘जीवनस्य ओषधयः’ = life-giving herbs); ‘देहि’ इत्यस्य कर्म

Speaker

The afflicted subjects/creatures (prajā) addressing their appointed protector (a ruler/guardian figure) within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kingship is a trust appointed by the Creator: the ruler must provide livelihood and protect life, especially in times of hunger.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat authority as stewardship—use power to secure basic welfare (food, health, safety) for those dependent on you.

Vishishtadvaita: The verse assumes delegated lordship: rulers act as instruments within the Supreme’s governance, serving beings who are dependent (śeṣa) on the divine order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: dasya

Characters & Entities

• Dhātṛ (Brahmā)
• Prajā (subjects/creatures)

FAQs

What is the significance of prajā-pālana (protection of subjects) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames rulership as a sacred trust: the protector is explicitly “appointed by the Creator” and is responsible for sustaining life, not merely ruling.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the duty of a sovereign during crisis like hunger?

Through narrative voices of the suffering prajā, the text emphasizes that the ruler’s dharma is to provide vṛtti (means of living) and restore life-supporting resources when society is overwhelmed by scarcity.

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

Even when the verse speaks of a Creator-appointed guardian, the Purana’s broader theology treats preservation and the maintenance of cosmic order as ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty.