Shloka 12

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

तत्क्षोभाय सुरेन्द्रेण प्रम्लोचाख्या वराप्सराः प्रयुक्ता क्षोभयाम् आस तम् ऋषिं सा शुचिस्मिता

Transliteration

tatkṣobhāya surendreṇa pramlocākhyā varāpsarāḥ prayuktā kṣobhayām āsa tam ṛṣiṃ sā śucismitā

Translation

To disturb his austerity, Indra dispatched the excellent apsaras named Pramlocā; and she—smiling with an artful, radiant charm—set about unsettling that sage.

Word by Word

• तत्: of him, his
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘तस्य’ अर्थे (referring to the sage)

• क्षोभाय: for (his) disturbance, for agitation
• क्षोभाय: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• सुरेन्द्रेण: by Indra, lord of the gods
• सुरेन्द्रेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; agent behind action)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् इन्द्रः)

• प्रम्लोचाख्या: named Pramlocā
• प्रम्लोचाख्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रम्लोचा-आख्या (प्रातिपदिक; प्रम्लोचा + आख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘प्रम्लोचा’ इति आख्या यस्याः)

• वराप्सराः: the excellent apsaras
• वराप्सराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक; वर + अप्सरस्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘श्रेष्ठा अप्सरा’)

• प्रयुक्ता: sent, employed
• प्रयुक्ता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• क्षोभयाम्: agitated, disturbed
• क्षोभयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षोभय् (णिजन्त; क्षुभ् धातोः causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘क्षोभयाम् आस’ इति परिप्रयोगः (periphrastic perfect)

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Kriyā (क्रिया-सहायक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायकक्रिया (auxiliary with क्षोभयाम्)

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

• ऋषिम्: the sage
• ऋषिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शुचिस्मिता: with a pure/bright smile
• शुचिस्मिता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि-स्मित (प्रातिपदिक; शुचि + स्मित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘शुचि स्मितं यस्याः’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Indra, fearing ascetic power, employs celestial means to obstruct tapas.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Siddhi-producing tapas attracts tests; external allure operates through the senses to shake inner steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat praise, beauty, and comfort as ‘tests’—respond with mindful restraint, boundaries, and re-centering in japa/dhyāna.

Vishishtadvaita: The episode underscores the need for grace-aided self-control: the jīva’s faculties are real yet vulnerable, requiring alignment to the Supreme rather than deva-driven incentives.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Pramlocā
• Rishi (unnamed in this verse)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra sending an apsaras in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights a recurring Purāṇic motif: powerful tapas can threaten heavenly order, so Indra tests or disrupts ascetics to preserve Svarga’s stability.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the idea of temptation in this episode?

Parāśara presents temptation as an external trial engineered by cosmic authorities (Indra), where the sage’s inner steadiness becomes the true measure of spiritual attainment.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when gods like Indra act to protect their domain, the broader Purāṇic worldview places ultimate sovereignty with Vishnu, under whose order such cosmic roles and tests operate.