Shloka 6

Devanagari script

संभृतं चार्धमासेन तत् सोमस्थं सुधामृतम् पिबन्ति देवा मैत्रेय सुधाहारा यतो ऽमराः

Transliteration

saṃbhṛtaṃ cārdhamāsena tat somasthaṃ sudhāmṛtam pibanti devā maitreya sudhāhārā yato 'marāḥ

Translation

That nectar—sudhā, amṛta—gathered over a fortnight and lodged in Soma, O Maitreya, is drunk by the gods. For by subsisting on that ambrosia they are called “immortals”.

Word by Word

• संभृतम्: collected/accumulated
• संभृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + भृ (धातु) → संभृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सुधामृतम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अर्धमासेन: by/within half a month
• अर्धमासेन: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; काल-परिमाणे (within/by half a month)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सुधामृतम्’ इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• सोमस्थम्: situated in Soma (the Moon)
• सोमस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सुधामृतम्’

• सुधामृतम्: nectar, the ambrosia
• सुधामृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘सुधा एव अमृतम्’

• पिबन्ति: drink
• पिबन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• सुधाहाराः: nectar-eaters
• सुधाहाराः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सुधा-आहारः’ (सुधा यस्य आहारः) इति बहुव्रीहि-सदृशार्थे प्रचलितः, रूपतः तत्पुरुष-समासः

• यतः: because/therefore
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (causal adverb: 'because/whence')

• अमराः: the immortals
• अमराः: Karta (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why devas are called 'immortal' and the role of Soma’s stored nectar over a fortnight.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nectar accumulated in Soma over half a month is consumed by the devas, and their ‘immortality’ is defined by dependence on that ambrosia.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: See ‘immortality’ as sustained well-being: cultivate the inner amṛta through sāttvika diet, disciplined schedule, and devotion rather than seeking permanence in externals.

Vishishtadvaita: By contrasting deva-amṛtatva (dependent, conditional) with true mokṣa (liberation), the verse supports the Vaishnava view that only the Lord grants ultimate, non-decaying blessedness.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Maitreya
• Soma (Chandra)
• Sudhā/Amṛta

FAQs

What is the significance of Soma (the Moon) holding amṛta in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that the nectar of immortality is 'somastha'—situated in Soma—linking lunar symbolism with divine nourishment and the maintenance of the devas within cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain why the devas are called 'amarāḥ' (immortals)?

Parāśara defines their immortality as functional and sustained: they are 'sudhāhārāḥ'—nourished by nectar—therefore they are termed 'amarāḥ'.

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

Within the Samudra Manthana framework, the nectar and its ordained placement sustain divine governance; Vaishnava theology reads this as part of Vishnu’s supreme ordering power that upholds the cosmos and its hierarchies.