Shloka 3

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

संतानकानाम् अखिलं यस्या गन्धेन वासितम् अतिसेव्यम् अभूद् ब्रह्मन् तद् वनं वनचारिणाम्

Transliteration

saṃtānakānām akhilaṃ yasyā gandhena vāsitam atisevyam abhūd brahman tad vanaṃ vanacāriṇām

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, the whole forest was perfumed by the fragrance of santānaka blossoms; thus it became exceedingly delightful to all who dwelt and wandered there.

Word by Word

• संतानकानाम्: of the santanaka (trees/flowers)
• संतानकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वनम्/तद्)

• यस्याः: whose
• यस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• गन्धेन: by (its) fragrance
• गन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• वासितम्: perfumed
• वासितम्: Predicate (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वास् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि

• अतिसेव्यम्: highly to be frequented
• अतिसेव्यम्: Predicate (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + सेव् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘अति’ उपसर्गः

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वनम्)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वनचारिणाम्: of forest-dwellers
• वनचारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वनस्य चारिणः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Description of the forest perfumed by santānaka blossoms, setting the scene for the Śrī-related episode

Teaching: Historical

Quality: evocative

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Santānaka trees
• Forest-dwellers (vana-cārins)

FAQs

What is the significance of divine fragrance in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The all-pervading scent symbolizes a realm’s purity and auspiciousness—an ordered, elevated environment where even nature reflects sacred harmony.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the appeal of such forests to their inhabitants?

Parāśara highlights sensory sanctity: the grove is “most resorted to” because the santānaka fragrance permeates everything, making the entire place naturally inviting to those who live or wander there.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purāṇa’s cosmography frames such perfected realms as operating under Vishnu’s sovereign order—nature’s beauty becomes a sign of the Supreme Reality sustaining the cosmos.