Shloka 5

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

समुद्रतनयायां तु कृतदारो महीपतिः महतस् तपसः पारे सवर्णायां महीपतेः

Transliteration

samudratanayāyāṃ tu kṛtadāro mahīpatiḥ mahatas tapasaḥ pāre savarṇāyāṃ mahīpateḥ

Translation

Then the lord of the earth took the Ocean’s daughter as his wedded queen; and, O king, beyond the reach of arduous austerities, he was born of Savarṇā in that royal line.

Word by Word

• समुद्रतनयायाम्: in (the) daughter of the ocean
• समुद्रतनयायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तनया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धः—समुद्रस्य तनया (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक (particle: 'but/indeed')

• कृतदारः: having taken a wife; married
• कृतदारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कृताः दाराः यस्य (कृत-दार)

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महतः: of great
• महतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पारे: at the far end; beyond
• पारे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• सवर्णायाम्: in Savarṇā
• सवर्णायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवर्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• महीपतेः: of the king
• महीपतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Prācīnabarhis, Savarṇā, Sāmudrī

Characters & Entities

• Samudra (Ocean)
• A king (mahīpati)
• Savarṇā

FAQs

What is the significance of marriage alliances (like marrying the Ocean’s daughter) in the Vishnu Purana?

Such marriages function as narrative markers of legitimacy and cosmic-connected sovereignty, linking royal houses to elemental/cosmic lineages and reinforcing the continuity of dharmic rule.

How does Sage Parāśara explain lineage and succession in this dynastic section?

Parāśara presents succession as a chain of births and marriages, where each union and offspring preserves the vamśa (dynasty) and situates kingship within a larger sacred-historical order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in a given verse, the Purāṇic genealogy is framed as unfolding under Vishnu’s supreme governance—history, dynasties, and sovereignty operate within the cosmic order sustained by Him.