Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

रत्नभूता च कन्येयं वार्क्षेयी वरवर्णिनी भविष्यं जानता पूर्वं मया गोभिर् विवर्धिता

Transliteration

ratnabhūtā ca kanyeyaṃ vārkṣeyī varavarṇinī bhaviṣyaṃ jānatā pūrvaṃ mayā gobhir vivardhitā

Translation

This maiden—Vārkṣeyī, of exquisite beauty—was like a jewel made manifest. Knowing beforehand what was yet to come, I once had her carefully reared and nurtured with cows and their gifts.

Word by Word

• रत्नभूता: become a jewel; jewel-like
• रत्नभूता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + भूत (प्रातिपदिक; भू-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूत-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) 'भूता'—'become'; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थ: 'रत्नवत् भूता'

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

• कन्या: maiden; girl
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वार्क्षेयी: born of/connected with trees
• वार्क्षेयी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वार्क्षेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धित (अपत्य/सम्बन्ध) — 'वृक्षसम्बन्धिनी/वृक्षजातीय'

• वरवर्णिनी: of excellent complexion
• वरवर्णिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर + वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (वरः वर्णः यस्याः)

• भविष्यम्: the future
• भविष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भविष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जानता: by (me) knowing
• जानता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) 'जानत्'—instrumental 'जानता' = 'by one who knows'

• पूर्वम्: formerly; beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent as instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्ता-हेतु), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गोभिः: with cows; by means of cows
• गोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• विवर्धिता: was nourished/raised
• विवर्धिता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-विशेष्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) — 'having been reared/nourished'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How specific beings and progenitors arise through extraordinary births and unions.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Foreknowledge (bhaviṣya-jñāna) should express itself as careful cultivation and protection of life, preparing conditions for dharmic outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Invest patiently in people and projects that will bear future good, even before results are visible.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s ‘natural’ supports (like cows and trees) participate in the Lord-governed order, where nurture becomes a sacred act within His immanent governance.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Provident stewardship—nurturing what will serve future dharmic order.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Vārkṣeyī (a maiden)

FAQs

What is the significance of rearing someone “with cows” in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse it signals careful, prosperity-based nurturing—cows representing sustenance, wealth, and dharmic livelihood—suggesting the maiden’s upbringing was intentionally supported to fulfill a forthcoming purpose.

How does Sage Parāśara explain foreknowledge in this context?

Parāśara frames the event as guided by prior awareness of what would unfold, implying that dynastic and social developments proceed within an intelligible order—ultimately under Vishnu’s regulating sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even within genealogical storytelling, the Purāṇa presents history as moving within Vishnu’s supreme governance—human choices and preparations align with a larger, divinely sustained cosmic order.