Shloka 73

वंशस्मरण-फलम्, वैशालिका-प्रसङ्गः, रेवती-बलदेव-विवाहः, विष्णु-परतत्त्व-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

तां रेवतीं रैवतभूपकन्यां सीरायुधो ऽसौ विधिनोपयेमे दत्त्वा च कन्यां स नृपो जगाम हिमालयं वै तपसे धृतात्मा

Transliteration

tāṃ revatīṃ raivatabhūpakanyāṃ sīrāyudho 'sau vidhinopayeme dattvā ca kanyāṃ sa nṛpo jagāma himālayaṃ vai tapase dhṛtātmā

Translation

Thus Revati, daughter of King Raivata, was duly wedded by Balarāma, whose weapon is the plough; and having given his daughter away, the king, steadfast in spirit, departed indeed for the Himalayas to practice austerities.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रेवतीम्: Revatī
• रेवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषनाम

• रैवतभूपकन्याम्: the daughter of king Raivata
• रैवतभूपकन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रैवत-भूप-कन्या (प्रातिपदिक; रैवत + भूप + कन्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; ‘रैवतस्य भूपस्य कन्या’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सीरायुधः: he whose weapon is the plough (Balarāma)
• सीरायुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीर-आयुध (प्रातिपदिक; सीर + आयुध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः ‘सीरम् आयुधं यस्य’ (one whose weapon is a plough)

• असौ: that one/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; निर्देशार्थ

• विधिना: according to rite/with due ceremony
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; करणम् (नियमेन/विधिपूर्वकम्)

• उपयेमे: married
• उपयेमे: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person singular, middle; ‘married/took (as wife)’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त कृदन्तम् — Absolutive (gerund) ‘having given’

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

• कन्याम्: the maiden/daughter
• कन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person singular

• हिमालयम्: to the Himālaya
• हिमालयम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘हिमस्य आलयः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्ययम् — emphatic particle

• तपसे: for austerity
• तपसे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन — Neuter, Dative, Singular; प्रयोजनम्

• धृतात्मा: self-controlled
• धृतात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; धृत (कृदन्त) + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः ‘धृतः आत्मा यस्य’ (self-controlled)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of dynastic narration with significant matrimonial and renunciatory episodes.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even after fulfilling worldly duty (kanyādāna), a king may turn inward toward tapas, showing the priority of spiritual discipline over continued royal enjoyment.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform one’s responsibilities with integrity, then cultivate disciplined simplicity—regular japa, restraint, and periods of retreat—to deepen inner steadiness.

Vishishtadvaita: Householder duties and renunciation are both meaningful when oriented to Nārāyaṇa as the supreme goal (puruṣārtha), integrating pravṛtti and nivṛtti.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Vairagya (renunciation)

Key Kings: Raivata

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Revati
• King Raivata
• Balarāma (Halāyudha/Sīrāyudha)
• Himalayas

FAQs

What is the significance of Revati’s marriage to Balarāma in the Vishnu Purāṇa?

It links a royal lineage (King Raivata’s house) with a divine figure (Balarāma), reinforcing the Purāṇic theme that dynastic history unfolds under divine order and dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the king’s departure to the Himalayas?

After fulfilling his dharma through kanyādāna, the king turns to tapas, showing the Purāṇic ideal that worldly duty and spiritual renunciation can follow in a rightful sequence.

What is the theological importance of Balarāma being called “Sīrāyudha” here?

The epithet highlights Balarāma’s divine identity and distinctive iconography, presenting him as a sacred power within the historical-genealogical narrative that ultimately rests within Viṣṇu’s cosmic sovereignty.