Shloka 140

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

Devanagari script

दित्या पुत्रद्वयं जज्ञे कश्यपाद् इति नः श्रुतम् हिरण्यकशिपुश् चैव हिरण्याक्षश् च दुर्जयः

Transliteration

dityā putradvayaṃ jajñe kaśyapād iti naḥ śrutam hiraṇyakaśipuś caiva hiraṇyākṣaś ca durjayaḥ

Translation

We have heard that Diti bore two sons by Kaśyapa—Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa, the unconquerable.

Word by Word

• दित्या: Diti
• दित्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुत्रद्वयम्: two sons
• पुत्रद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुः—द्वौ पुत्रौ (a pair of sons)

• जज्ञे: gave birth / was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कश्यपात्: from Kaśyapa
• कश्यपात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यपरिसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative)

• नः: by us / our
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रुतम्: (it is) heard/known
• श्रुतम्: Karta (Impersonal predicate/कर्ता-स्थानी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (कृदन्त; √श्रु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (past passive participle) ‘heard’—वाक्ये ‘it is heard/known’ अर्थे

• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + कशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—हिरण्यं कशिपुः (golden couch/bed)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• हिरण्याक्षः: Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—हिरण्यं अक्षः/अक्षिणी यस्य (golden-eyed)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• दुर्जयः: hard to conquer
• दुर्जयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—दुर्जयः (दुर् + जयः) ‘hard to conquer’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Kaśyapa
• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Hiraṇyākṣa
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the significance of Diti’s two sons in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse introduces Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa as principal Daitya figures whose stories frame major restorations of cosmic order, ultimately highlighting Viṣṇu’s supreme governance over all beings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Daitya lineage through Kaśyapa?

Parāśara presents the births as part of an authoritative transmitted tradition (“iti naḥ śrutam”), placing Daityas within the broader genealogical map of creation where even opposing forces arise within the divinely ordered cosmos.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when “unconquerable” powers arise, the Purāṇic theology implies they remain within Viṣṇu’s ultimate sovereignty, and their narratives become occasions for the re-establishment of dharma under the Supreme Lord.