Shloka 1

सोमवंशश्रवणप्रार्थना

Maitreya’s Request for the Lunar Dynasty

Devanagari script

सूर्यस्य भगवन् वंशः कथितो भवता मम सोमस्य वंशे त्व् अखिलाञ् श्रोतुम् इच्छामि पार्थिवान्

Transliteration

sūryasya bhagavan vaṃśaḥ kathito bhavatā mama somasya vaṃśe tv akhilāñ śrotum icchāmi pārthivān

Translation

O venerable one, you have told me the lineage of the Sun. Now I wish to hear in full of all the earthly kings who arose in the lineage of Soma, the Moon.

Word by Word

• सूर्यस्य: of the Sun
• सूर्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• वंशः: lineage
• वंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कथितः: has been told
• कथितः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• मम: to me / for me
• मम: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सोमस्य: of Soma (Moon)
• सोमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वंशे: in the lineage
• वंशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• अखिलान्: all
• अखिलान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable infinitive): 'to hear'

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवान्: kings
• पार्थिवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Maitreya (the disciple) addressing Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: After hearing the Solar lineage, Maitreya requests the complete narration of the Lunar (Soma) lineage of earthly kings.

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: respectful, inquiry-driven

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right knowledge unfolds through disciplined questioning and sequential hearing (anukrama) from an authoritative teacher.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach sacred texts systematically—ask clear questions, study in sequence, and verify continuity of concepts rather than cherry-picking.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasizes pramāṇa via guru-paramparā: knowledge of dharma and divine order is received, not self-invented

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Śiṣya’s vinaya (humble inquiry) sustaining paramparā transmission

Key Kings: Soma

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Sun)
• Soma/Chandra (Moon)
• Kings (Parthivas)
• Sage Parasara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the Soma (Chandra) Vamsha in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the narrative shift from the Solar Dynasty to the Lunar Dynasty, establishing the Soma-vamsha as an equally authoritative channel of sacred kingship and historical memory within the Purana.

How does Sage Parāśara explain royal genealogies to Maitreya in this section?

Through a question-and-answer frame: Maitreya requests a complete account, and Parāśara responds by systematically listing rulers in succession, presenting genealogy as a structured record of dharma and continuity.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s dynastic history is told as part of Vishnu’s ordered cosmos—where sovereignty, lineage, and time unfold under the Supreme Reality that sustains the world.