Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 28

Qualities and Faults of Heaven; Karma-Bhumi vs Phala-Bhumi; Turning to Viṣṇu’s Supreme Abode

Devanagari script

भिक्षार्थं तस्य भागानि प्रकुर्वंति च भूपते । ब्राह्मणाय विभागैकं गोग्रासं तु महामते

Transliteration

bhikṣārthaṃ tasya bhāgāni prakurvaṃti ca bhūpate | brāhmaṇāya vibhāgaikaṃ gogrāsaṃ tu mahāmate

Translation

Ô roi, ils en répartissent des parts pour l’aumône ; une part est destinée à un brāhmaṇa, et une bouchée est mise à part pour une vache, ô sage.

Word by Word

• bhikṣā-artham: for the sake of alms
• bhikṣā-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (भिक्षायै अर्थः/भिक्षार्थम्) — purpose expression

• tasya: of him/that
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• bhāgāni: portions, shares
• bhāgāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (Accusative plural)

• prakurvanti: they prepare/make
• prakurvanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/ conjunction)

• bhūpate: O king
• bhūpate: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूमेः पतिः)

• brāhmaṇāya: for a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Dative singular)

• vibhāga-ekam: one portion/share
• vibhāga-ekam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (विभागेषु एकम् / विभागस्य एकम्) — ‘one share/portion’

• go-grāsam: a mouthful for a cow
• go-grāsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + grāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोः ग्रासः)

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle)

• mahāmate: O great-minded one
• mahāmate: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Unspecified (dialogue context not provided in the input excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhikṣā+artham → bhikṣārtham; vibhāga+ekam → vibhāgaikaṃ; go+grāsam → gogrāsaṃ.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Cow (Go)

FAQs

What practice of charity does this verse describe?

It describes formally dividing food/offerings into portions meant for alms, specifically allocating a share to a brāhmaṇa and a mouthful to a cow.

Why are brāhmaṇas and cows specifically mentioned?

In dharma literature, brāhmaṇa-sevā (support of learned priests/teachers) and go-sevā (care for cows) are treated as meritorious acts that sustain religious life and non-violent household ethics.

What ethical lesson is emphasized here?

The verse emphasizes disciplined generosity—ensuring that one’s resources are shared with worthy recipients and with vulnerable dependents, rather than consumed solely for oneself.