Shloka 81

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

समां च कुरु सर्वत्र येन क्षीरं समन्ततः वरौषधीबीजभूतं वीर सर्वत्र भावये

Transliteration

samāṃ ca kuru sarvatra yena kṣīraṃ samantataḥ varauṣadhībījabhūtaṃ vīra sarvatra bhāvaye

Translation

Make the earth level everywhere, so that milk may spread on all sides; and, O hero, let the potent herbs—whose very essence is the seed of healing—arise everywhere.

Word by Word

• समाम्: level; even
• समाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषणम् (पृथिवीम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• कुरु: make; do
• कुरु: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (करणे) (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adverbial (Desha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular) — साधनार्थे

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• समन्ततः: on all sides; completely
• समन्ततः: Adverbial (Desha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: परितोऽर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides)

• वर-औषधि-बीज-भूतम्: becoming the seed of excellent herbs
• वर-औषधि-बीज-भूतम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + औषधि (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भू)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (औषधीनां बीजभूतम्; वर इति विशेषणपूर्वपद); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषणम् (क्षीरम्)

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adverbial (Desha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• भावये: cause to be; make (it) become
• भावये: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भवति) (धातु) [णिच् causative: भावयति]
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the addressed 'vīra' is within the embedded narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Pṛthu re-ordered the earth to distribute sustenance and medicinal potency universally.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma includes equitable distribution: leveling the ‘ground’ so nourishment and healing resources pervade all regions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Reduce ‘unevenness’ in one’s sphere—remove barriers to access (food, healthcare, education) and support regenerative cultivation.

Vishishtadvaita: Nature’s powers (auṣadhi-śakti) are real yet dependent, meant to serve the body-souls within the Lord’s ordered whole; welfare is a divine purpose enacted through human agency.

Vaishnava Theology

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

FAQs

What is the significance of milk and herbs in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Milk symbolizes universal nourishment, while herbs represent healing potency; together they express the world being ordered so life can be sustained and restored everywhere.

How does Sage Parāśara explain universal order in this context?

By depicting the earth being made level and resources spreading in all directions, Parāśara frames cosmic order as practical, life-supporting arrangement rather than abstract theory.

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

Even when not named explicitly, the Sarga setting implies Vishnu’s sovereign principle: the cosmos is arranged toward sustenance and well-being, reflecting divine governance over creation.