Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

अभवन् दनुपुत्राश् च द्विमूर्धा शंकरस् तथा अयोमुखः शङ्कुशिराः कपिलः शम्बरस् तथा

Transliteration

abhavan danuputrāś ca dvimūrdhā śaṃkaras tathā ayomukhaḥ śaṅkuśirāḥ kapilaḥ śambaras tathā

Translation

Among the sons of Danu were born Dvimūrdhā and Śaṅkara; also Ayomukha, Śaṅkuśiras, Kapila, and Śambara.

Word by Word

• अभवन्: were/came to be
• अभवन्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• दनुपुत्राः: sons of Danu (Dānavas)
• दनुपुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

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

• द्विमूर्धा: Dvimūrdhā (name; 'two-headed')
• द्विमूर्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन्/मूर्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound)

• शंकरः: Śaṃkara (name)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रम (adverb/conjunctive)

• अयोमुखः: Ayomukha (name; 'iron-faced')
• अयोमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयस्/अयः (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• शङ्कुशिराः: Śaṅkuśirā (name; 'cone-headed')
• शङ्कुशिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस्/शिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• कपिलः: Kapila (name)
• कपिलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शम्बरः: Śambara (name)
• शम्बरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रम (adverb/conjunctive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Dānavas descended from Danu—names and categorization.

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: authoritative

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Danu, Dvimurdha, Shankara, Ayomukha, Shankushiras, Kapila, Shambara

Characters & Entities

• Danu
• Dānavas
• Dvimūrdhā
• Śaṅkara
• Ayomukha
• Śaṅkuśiras
• Kapila
• Śambara

FAQs

What is the significance of listing Danu’s sons in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse preserves the Danava genealogy, mapping key beings who appear later in mythic conflicts and thereby situating cosmic opposition within an ordered, traceable lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain these lineages to Maitreya?

Parāśara presents a structured genealogical narration—naming descendants in sequence—so Maitreya can understand how different classes of beings arise and participate in the unfolding cosmic history.

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

Even when the verse names Danavas, the broader frame is that all births and lineages occur within Vishnu’s sustaining order—nothing exists outside the Supreme Reality that governs time, creation, and dissolution.