Shloka 77

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

ततः प्रणम्य वसुधा तं भूयः प्राह पार्थिवम् प्रवेपिताङ्गी परमं साध्वसं समुपागता

Transliteration

tataḥ praṇamya vasudhā taṃ bhūyaḥ prāha pārthivam pravepitāṅgī paramaṃ sādhvasaṃ samupāgatā

Translation

Then Vasudhā, bowing down once more to that king, spoke again—her limbs trembling, seized by overwhelming fear.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/कालवाचक (from that/thereafter)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Non-finite action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• वसुधा: the Earth
• वसुधा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Adverbial (Kriya-viseshana/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again/further)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवम्: to the king
• पार्थिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवेपिताङ्गी: with trembling limbs
• प्रवेपिताङ्गी: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-वेप् (धातु) + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषण (past participial adjective)

• परमम्: great, extreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of साध्वसम्)

• साध्वसम्: fear, dread
• साध्वसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular)

• समुपागता: having approached / having come (to be)
• समुपागता: Kriya (State/result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used predicatively); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Vasudhā

Avatara Context

Avatara: Varaha

Purpose: As Varāha, Viṣṇu compels Earth to submit so that nourishment and stability return to the world.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Harmony between ruler and Earth for the welfare of creatures

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When confronted by rightful authority, the proper response is humility and corrective speech rather than stubbornness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In conflict, de-escalate through respectful acknowledgment and a willingness to propose solutions.

Vishishtadvaita: The Earth (a divine power/śakti) models prapatti-like submission (praṇāma) before the Lord’s ordained authority, reflecting dependence (śeṣatva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Vasudhā
• King (Pārthiva)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vasudhā bowing to the king in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights the hierarchy and solemnity of royal-dharma narratives in Ansha 4, where the earth/realm (Vasudhā) is portrayed as acknowledging the king’s temporal authority while the scene turns tense with imminent danger.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emotional intensity of dynastic episodes?

Through vivid narrative markers—such as trembling limbs and overpowering fear—Parāśara makes political and genealogical events feel morally charged, reinforcing that kingship is bound to dharma and consequence.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in a given verse, the dynastic history is traditionally read as unfolding under Vishnu’s supreme governance—kings rise and fall within an order ultimately upheld by the Supreme Reality.