Shloka 3

भविष्य-मन्वन्तराः (अष्टम-चतुर्दश) तथा कल्प-युग-व्यवस्था

Devanagari script

असहन्ती तु सा भर्तुस् तेजश् छायां युयोज वै भर्तुः शुश्रूषणे ऽरण्यं स्वयं च तपसे ययौ

Transliteration

asahantī tu sā bhartus tejaś chāyāṃ yuyoja vai bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇe 'raṇyaṃ svayaṃ ca tapase yayau

Translation

Unable to endure her husband’s blazing splendor, she fashioned a shadow-form—Chhāyā—to remain in her place in service to him; and she herself departed to the forest, turning to austerity.

Word by Word

• असहन्ती: not enduring
• असहन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + सह् (धातु) → असहन्ती (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle: 'not enduring')

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तेजः: splendour, radiance
• तेजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• छायाम्: shadow
• छायाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• युयोज: joined, assigned, placed
• युयोज: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (indeed)

• भर्तुः: for (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (शुश्रूषणार्थे)

• शुश्रूषणे: in service/attendance
• शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (Location/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; हेतौ/विषये (in the matter of service)

• अरण्यम्: forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: herself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वतन्त्रार्थक अव्यय (adverb: oneself)

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

• तपसे: for austerity
• तपसे: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Saṃjñā withdrew for austerity and instituted Chāyā, shaping subsequent progeny

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When overwhelmed by external brilliance and intensity, turning inward through tapas and restraint becomes a legitimate dharmic response.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Create disciplined space from overstimulation (digital/mental ‘heat’) and adopt regular austerities—silence, moderation, retreat—for clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Tapas is not world-denial but re-ordering one’s embodied life (prakṛti as Brahman’s mode) toward service and inner purity.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Saṃjñā—tapas (austerity/self-discipline)

Key Kings: Saṃjñā, Chāyā, Sūrya

Characters & Entities

• Chhāyā
• Saṃjñā (implied)
• Vivasvān/Sūrya (implied husband figure)

FAQs

What is the significance of Chhāyā (the shadow-form) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse introduces Chhāyā as a substitute created to continue household duty and service, a narrative device that explains later relational and genealogical developments tied to the solar line.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of tapas (austerity) here?

Parāśara presents tapas as a deliberate turning to the forest for inner discipline when worldly circumstances become unbearable, showing austerity as a dharmic response that reshapes destiny.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the episode functions within Vishnu’s ordered cosmos: personal dharma (service, restraint, tapas) becomes a means by which the Supreme’s governance unfolds through time and lineage.