Shloka 93

Devanagari script

एवंप्रभावः स पृथुः पुत्रो वेनस्य वीर्यवान् जज्ञे महीपतिः पूर्वं राजाभूज् जनरञ्जनात्

Transliteration

evaṃprabhāvaḥ sa pṛthuḥ putro venasya vīryavān jajñe mahīpatiḥ pūrvaṃ rājābhūj janarañjanāt

Translation

Thus endowed with extraordinary power, the valiant Pṛthu—son of Vena—was born as lord of the earth; and because he delighted the people, he was, in ancient times, the first to be called “king.”

Word by Word

• एवंप्रभावः: of such power; thus mighty
• एवंप्रभावः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं (अव्यय) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — adjective of ‘पृथुः’; समास: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (‘having such power/effect’)

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

• पृथुः: Pṛthu
• पृथुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — nominative singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Apposition/समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — nominative singular (apposition)

• वेनस्य: of Vena
• वेनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — genitive singular

• वीर्यवान्: valiant; powerful
• वीर्यवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — possessive adjective

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — perfect ‘was born’

• महीपतिः: king; lord of the earth
• महीपतिः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — ‘lord of the earth’; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• पूर्वम्: formerly; first
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘formerly/at first’

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — nominative singular

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — imperfect active ‘became/was’

• जनरञ्जनात्: because of pleasing the people
• जनरञ्जनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + रञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन — ablative singular; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of people’s pleasing’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Emergence of Pṛthu as the paradigmatic king and lord of the earth

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The true ‘king’ is defined by janarañjana—governance that protects and gladdens the people through dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In leadership roles, measure success by welfare, fairness, and protection of the vulnerable rather than mere power.

Vishishtadvaita: Society as the Lord’s field: dharmic rule serves the real world (acit) and embodied souls (cit) as dependents of God.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Rājadharma (people-pleasing welfare rule)

Key Kings: Pṛthu, Vena

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu
• Vena
• Kingship
• People (subjects)

FAQs

What is the significance of King Pṛthu being called the first “rājā” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames kingship as an institution defined by janarañjana—bringing welfare and satisfaction to the people—making moral governance the basis of sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara present the ideal of rulership in this context?

Parāśara links legitimacy to character and effect: Pṛthu’s vīrya (strength) and prabhāva (effective power) are validated by his capacity to protect and please the populace.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this lineage-focused passage?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s worldview implies that dharmic kingship is a manifestation of cosmic order upheld by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—through righteous rulers in sacred genealogy.