Shloka 5

Śāṃtanu—Peace through a Pre-eminent Deed (Śānti-prada-sparśa) within Vaṁśa Narrative

Devanagari script

यं यं कराभ्यां स्पृशति जीर्णं यौवनम् एति सः शान्तिं चाप्नोति येनाग्र्यां कर्मणा तेन शांतनुः

Transliteration

yaṃ yaṃ karābhyāṃ spṛśati jīrṇaṃ yauvanam eti saḥ śāntiṃ cāpnoti yenāgryāṃ karmaṇā tena śāṃtanuḥ

Translation

Whomever he touched with his two hands, one worn down by age became youthful again; and whoever was thus touched attained an exalted peace. By that pre-eminent deed, he was known as Śāṃtanu.

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• यम्: whom (each one)
• यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• कराभ्याम्: with (his) two hands
• कराभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया द्विवचनम् (instrumental dual)

• स्पृशति: touches
• स्पृशति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• जीर्णम्: worn-out/old
• जीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण (√जॄ/√जृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (यौवनम्)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• एति: goes/attains
• एति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• शान्तिम्: peace
• शान्तिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

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

• आप्नोति: obtains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग) + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular)

• अग्र्याम्: excellent/foremost
• अग्र्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कर्मणा/कर्म—पाठभेदे)

• कर्मणा: by (that) act/deed
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular)

• तेन: thereby/with that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular)

• शांतनुः: Shantanu
• शांतनुः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शांतनु (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Genealogical-historical account of lunar line figures and the etymology/renown of Śāṃtanu

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A ruler’s highest deed is beneficence that restores well-being and peace, making compassion a form of royal dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use influence to heal and uplift—prioritize restorative actions (care, reconciliation, service) that bring ‘śānti’ to others.

Vishishtadvaita: Peace and flourishing are viewed as dharmic goods within the Lord-governed world, where righteous action becomes a conduit for divine order.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Dayā (compassionate beneficence)

Key Kings: Śāṃtanu

Characters & Entities

• Śāṃtanu
• Kings
• Lunar Dynasty (Candra-vaṃśa)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śāṃtanu’s touch in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a divinely sanctioned kingship: his contact restores vigor (youth) and grants śānti, portraying the ruler as a conduit of auspicious order in the Lunar dynasty narrative.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the name “Śāṃtanu” here?

Parāśara derives it from the “foremost deed” (agrya-karma) by which peace (śānti) is obtained—hence the king is identified and remembered through that defining act.

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

Even in genealogical sections, the Purana frames royal prosperity and peace as arising under the sovereignty of the Supreme (Vishnu), with kings functioning within dharma upheld by the divine order.