Shloka 91

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

तत् तत् पात्रम् उपादाय तत् तद् दुग्धं मुने पयः वत्सदोग्धृविशेषाश् च तेषां तद्योनयो ऽभवन्

Transliteration

tat tat pātram upādāya tat tad dugdhaṃ mune payaḥ vatsadogdhṛviśeṣāś ca teṣāṃ tadyonayo 'bhavan

Translation

Taking up each its proper vessel, O sage, each drew forth its own milk; and according to their several origins, distinct calves and distinct milkers arose.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (each)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• तत्: that (respective)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — repeated for distributive sense

• पात्रम्: vessel; container
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — accusative singular

• उपादाय: having taken up
• उपादाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having taken’; धातु: दा (आदान) with उपसर्ग उप+आ

• तत्: that (each)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — demonstrative (distributive)

• तत्: that (respective)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — demonstrative (distributive)

• दुग्धम्: milk (the yield)
• दुग्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √दुह्-धातु से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — ‘milk’ as a noun

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular

• पयः: milk; fluid
• पयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — accusative singular

• वत्सदोग्धृविशेषाः: the specific calves and milkers
• वत्सदोग्धृविशेषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स + दोग्धृ + विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — ‘special (appointed) calves and milkers’; समास: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (determinative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — ‘and’

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• तत्: that (respective)
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — used adjectivally with ‘yonayaḥ’ (distributive ‘their respective’)

• योनयः: sources; origins
• योनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — nominative plural

• अभवन्: were; came to be
• अभवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — imperfect active ‘were/became’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How different beings obtained distinct ‘milk’ from the Earth through appropriate vessels, calves, and milkers

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Earth yields diverse sustenance according to the adhikāra (fitness) and upādhi (instrument) of each class of beings.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate the ‘right vessel’—discipline and receptivity—so teachings and resources become truly nourishing rather than wasted.

Vishishtadvaita: Unity-with-difference: one divine order supports plural modes of nourishment for distinct jīvas.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘vessel, calf, and milker’ imagery in the Vishnu Purana?

It conveys that nourishment and sustenance arise through an ordered system—each class of beings has its proper means, counterpart, and source, reflecting a structured cosmos rather than randomness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ordering of creation here?

He presents creation as differentiated by function and origin: each group assumes an appropriate ‘vessel’ and produces its own form of sustenance, with corresponding calves and milkers arising from matching sources (yoni).

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such cosmic regularity as grounded in Vishnu’s supreme governance—creation unfolds as an intelligible order sustained by the Highest Reality.