Shloka 20

Daitya–Dānava Vaṁśa, Kaśyapa’s Progeny, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

काद्रवेयास् तु बलिनः सहस्रम् अमितौजसः सुपर्णवशगा ब्रह्मञ् जज्ञिरे नैकमस्तकाः

Transliteration

kādraveyās tu balinaḥ sahasram amitaujasaḥ suparṇavaśagā brahmañ jajñire naikamastakāḥ

Translation

But, O Brahman, the mighty Kādraveyas—one thousand in number, of immeasurable power—were born under the dominion of Suparṇa (Garuḍa); and among them arose many who were not of a single head, but multi-headed.

Word by Word

• काद्रवेयाः: the Kādraveyas (sons of Kadrū)
• काद्रवेयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kādraveya (प्रातिपदिक; कद्रू-अपत्य तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘कद्रू’ के पुत्र/वंशज

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• बलिनः: strong
• बलिनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma/Count (कर्म/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाण/संख्या

• अमितौजसः: of immeasurable strength
• अमितौजसः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita + ojas (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः

• सुपर्णवशगाः: subject to Suparṇa (Garuḍa)
• सुपर्णवशगाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suparṇa + vaśa + ga (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सुपर्णस्य वशं गताः)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• जज्ञिरे: were born
• जज्ञिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नैकमस्तकाः: not single-headed (many-headed)
• नैकमस्तकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: na + eka + mastaka (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (न एकं मस्तकं येषाम् = many-headed)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nāga lineages from Kadrū and their relation to Garuḍa.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even formidable powers are placed within a higher governance, indicating that strength is bounded by cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use authority to restrain harm and align personal power with higher principles rather than ego.

Vishishtadvaita: Order (niyati) within plurality reflects the Lord’s sovereign governance; relative powers function under higher lordship.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Kadru
• Kādraveyas (Nāgas/serpents)
• Suparṇa (Garuḍa)
• Brahman (form of address)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Kādraveyas in the Vishnu Purana?

They represent Kadru’s serpent lineage—an important strand in the Purāṇic mapping of species and powers—showing how creation unfolds through identifiable genealogies.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Suparṇa (Garuḍa) having dominion over them?

In the genealogical narrative, Parāśara notes that these powerful serpent-beings nonetheless come under Suparṇa’s control, emphasizing a cosmic hierarchy where even formidable races are ordered by higher powers.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the passage functions within Vishnu Purana’s larger vision of a divinely governed cosmos—where hierarchies and lineages operate under the Supreme Reality that Vishnu embodies.