Shloka 115

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

शम्भोर् जटाकलापाच् च विनिष्क्रान्तास्थिशर्करान् प्लावयित्वा दिवं निन्ये या पापान् सगरात्मजान्

Transliteration

śambhor jaṭākalāpāc ca viniṣkrāntāsthiśarkarān plāvayitvā divaṃ ninye yā pāpān sagarātmajān

Translation

Issuing forth from Śambhu’s tangled matted locks, she flooded over the gravel-like fragments of bone and, lifting up the sinful sons of Sagara, conveyed them to heaven.

Word by Word

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• जटाकलापात्: from the mass of matted locks
• जटाकलापात्: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + कलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; जटानां कलापः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• विनिष्क्रान्त: having come out; issued forth
• विनिष्क्रान्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नि: + क्रम् (धातु) → विनिष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं; विशेषणम् (अस्थिशर्करान्)

• अस्थिशर्करान्: bone-fragments (gravel-like bones)
• अस्थिशर्करान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; अस्थ्नां शर्कराः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• प्लावयित्वा: having flooded; having washed
• प्लावयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्लु (धातु) → प्लावयितुम् (णिच्) → प्लावयित्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having caused to float/flooded)

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• निन्ये: led; carried
• निन्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• या: she who
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पापान्: sinful
• पापान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सगरात्मजान्)

• सगरात्मजान्: the sons of Sagara
• सगरात्मजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; सगरस्य आत्मजाः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Gaṅgā, issuing from Śiva’s jaṭā, purified the ashes/bone-fragments of Sagara’s sons and carried them to heaven

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine grace mediated through sacred agency (Gaṅgā) can transform the consequences of sin, elevating beings when purification is truly received.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Pair repentance and ethical repair with steady devotion; use sacred practices (snāna, japa, charity) as supports for genuine inner change rather than as mere ritual substitutes.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights ‘śeṣatva’ and grace: liberation/uptake is not self-manufactured but received through the Lord’s compassionate dispensation via sanctifying means.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Key Kings: Sagara

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā
• Sagara
• Sagaraputrāḥ (sons of Sagara)

FAQs

What is the significance of Gaṅgā emerging from Śiva’s matted locks in the Vishnu Purana?

It signifies the controlled descent of a cosmic purifying force into the world—Gaṅgā’s sanctity is framed as both celestial and ritually efficacious, capable of transforming the fate of the dead.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the redemption of Sagara’s sons here?

Parāśara presents their release as effected by Gaṅgā’s inundation: her waters wash over their remains and, by that sacred contact, they are borne to heaven despite their prior taint (pāpa).

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

Even when the verse centers on Gaṅgā and Śiva, the Vishnu Purana’s larger frame treats such cosmic agencies as operating within the sovereign order upheld by Vishnu—where dharma, purification, and destiny unfold under the Supreme Reality’s governance.