Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 107

Aśokasundarī and Huṇḍa: Chastity, Karma, and the Foretold Rise of Nahuṣa

Devanagari script

एकच्छत्रेण वै राज्यं चक्रे भूपतिसत्तमः । पृथिव्यां सर्वधर्मज्ञः सोमवंशस्य भूषणम्

Transliteration

ekacchatreṇa vai rājyaṃ cakre bhūpatisattamaḥ | pṛthivyāṃ sarvadharmajñaḥ somavaṃśasya bhūṣaṇam

Translation

Ce roi, le meilleur des souverains, établit la royauté sous un seul parasol sur tout le royaume ; sur la terre, il connaissait tous les dharma et fut l’ornement de la Dynastie Lunaire.

Word by Word

• एकच्छत्रेण: with sole sovereignty (under one umbrella)
• एकच्छत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (एकं छत्रं यस्य/एकच्छत्र- 'single umbrella' i.e., sole sovereignty); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (Nipata)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रे: made/established
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भूपतिसत्तमः: the best of kings
• भूपतिसत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (भूपतिः + सत्तमः = best among kings); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सर्वधर्मज्ञः: knower of all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सर्वान् धर्मान् जानाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सोमवंशस्य: of the lunar dynasty
• सोमवंशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('lunar dynasty'); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भूषणम्: ornament, glory
• भूषणम्: Predicate nominative (Vidhaya/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (उपमान/विशेष्य-रूपेण)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; exact speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: एकच्छत्रेण = एक + छत्रेण (समास/सन्धि).

Characters & Entities

• Soma-vaṃśa (Lunar Dynasty)

FAQs

What does “ekacchatra” imply in this verse?

It literally means “under one umbrella,” a classical idiom for unified sovereignty—rule that brings the land under one central authority.

What is conveyed by calling the king “sarva-dharma-jñaḥ”?

It praises him as fully versed in dharma—ethical duty, law, and righteous governance—suggesting an ideal ruler who understands and upholds moral order.

What is the ethical lesson emphasized here?

Legitimate power is framed as dharma-informed: political unification is laudable when guided by comprehensive knowledge of righteous duty and just conduct.