Shloka 83

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

Devanagari script

सुधामा शङ्खपाच् चैव कर्दमस्यात्मजौ द्विज हिरण्यरोमा चैवान्यश् चतुर्थः केतुमान् अपि

Transliteration

sudhāmā śaṅkhapāc caiva kardamasyātmajau dvija hiraṇyaromā caivānyaś caturthaḥ ketumān api

Translation

O twice-born one, Kardama’s sons were named Sudhāmā and Śaṅkhapāc; another was Hiraṇyaromā, and the fourth also was Ketumān.

Word by Word

• सुधामा: Sudhāmā (a Lokapāla)
• सुधामा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• शङ्खपाक्: Śaṅkhapāk (a Lokapāla)
• शङ्खपाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख + पाक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शङ्खस्य पाकः/पाक्—नाम)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed/just)

• कर्दमस्य: of Kardama
• कर्दमस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• आत्मजौ: two sons
• आत्मजौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; ‘sons’

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन

• हिरण्यरोमा: Hiraṇyaromā (a Lokapāla)
• हिरण्यरोमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + रोमान् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (golden-haired) नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्थः: the fourth
• चतुर्थः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• केतुमान्: Ketumān (a Lokapāla)
• केतुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of beings associated with Lokāloka/dig-guardianship context (Kardama’s sons)

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Kardama, Sudhāmā, Śaṅkhapāc, Hiraṇyaromā, Ketumān

Characters & Entities

• Kardama
• Sudhāmā
• Śaṅkhapāc
• Hiraṇyaromā
• Ketumān
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of genealogical lists like Kardama’s sons in the Vishnu Purana?

They map the orderly transmission of creation and dharma through named lineages, presenting cosmic history as structured succession under Vishnu’s overarching sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain lineage in this section of the Vishnu Purana?

Parāśara enumerates progeny in a sequential, catalog-like narration to establish the connections among early beings, sages, and later dynastic developments.

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

Even when Vishnu is not explicitly named in the verse, the Purana’s framework treats such ordered genealogies as unfolding within Vishnu’s supreme governance of creation and continuity.