Shloka 34

इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रसङ्गः, पुरंजय-दैवसाहाय्य-कथा, युवनाश्व-मांधातृ-उत्पत्तिः, सौभरि-वैराग्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

ततो मांधाता नामतो ऽभवत् । वक्त्रे चास्य प्रदेशिनी देवराजेन न्यस्ता तां पपौ । तां चामृतस्राविणीम् आस्वाद्याह्नैव स व्यवर्धत ॥

Transliteration

tato māṃdhātā nāmato 'bhavat | vaktre cāsya pradeśinī devarājena nyastā tāṃ papau | tāṃ cāmṛtasrāviṇīm āsvādyāhnaiva sa vyavardhata ||

Translation

Thereafter he came to be known as Māndhātṛ. When the Lord of the gods placed his index finger into the child’s mouth, the child drank from it; tasting that essence which streamed like nectar, he grew to full strength within a single day.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक

• मांधाता: Māṃdhātā
• मांधाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• नामतः: by name
• नामतः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—उपपद/हेतुवत् ‘नामतः’ (by name)

• अभवत्: came to be; was born
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• वक्त्रे: in the mouth
• वक्त्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रदेशिनी: the index finger
• प्रदेशिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदेशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• देवराजेन: by the king of gods (Indra)
• देवराजेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां राजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न्यस्ता: placed
• न्यस्ता: Kriya (Result state/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस्/न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘न्यस्त’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रदेशिनी)

• ताम्: that (finger)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पपौ: drank/sucked
• पपौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अमृतस्राविणीम्: nectar-dripping
• अमृतस्राविणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृतस्राविणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ताम्/प्रदेशिनीम्); समासः—अमृतं स्रवति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• आस्वाद्य: having tasted
• आस्वाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√स्वद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• अह्ना: in a day; by the day
• अह्ना: Karana (Time means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कालवाचक-करण (time-instrument)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• व्यवर्धत: grew
• व्यवर्धत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—वि, अव (व्य-)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The miraculous nurture and empowerment of Māndhātṛ after his extraordinary birth.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devas participate in sustaining dharma by empowering worthy rulers; extraordinary vitality is portrayed as a form of divine grace mediated through Indra.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recognize support systems (teachers, community, grace) behind one’s growth; cultivate gratitude and responsibility with newfound strength.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace operates through divine agents (devas) within the Lord’s cosmic administration—personal dependence and relational support align with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s theistic realism.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Dharma Exemplar: Kṣatriya prosperity supported by deva-ṛṣi sanction (divine guardianship of royal dharma)

Key Kings: Māndhātṛ, Yuvanāśva, Indra

Characters & Entities

• Māndhātṛ
• Indra (Devarāja)

FAQs

What is the significance of Māndhātṛ’s name in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse explains the etymological and narrative basis: he ‘drank’ (papau) nectar-like sustenance placed by Indra, and thus became known as Māndhātṛ, marking him as a divinely favored ruler in the Solar lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine support for kingship here?

Parāśara presents Indra’s intervention—placing the forefinger in the infant’s mouth—as a sign that cosmic powers uphold dharma by sustaining and accelerating the growth of a future sovereign.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the Purana’s frame implies that even Indra’s actions operate within Vishnu’s supreme order, where rightful kings arise through divinely governed providence.