Padma Purana — Patala Khanda, Shloka 56

The Meeting with Puṣkala’s Wife

Devanagari script

उवाच मतिमान्वीरः सर्वशोभासमन्वितः । रामाज्ञापय रक्षार्थं हयस्यानुज्ञया तव

Transliteration

uvāca matimānvīraḥ sarvaśobhāsamanvitaḥ | rāmājñāpaya rakṣārthaṃ hayasyānujñayā tava

Translation

Le sage héros, paré de toute splendeur, déclara : «Ô Rāma, ordonne-moi la garde ; avec ta permission, j’agirai pour la sauvegarde du cheval».

Word by Word

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मतिमान्: wise
• मतिमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सर्वशोभासमन्वितः: endowed with all beauty
• सर्वशोभासमन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: सर्वाभिः शोभाभिः समन्वितः (endowed with all splendours); कर्तृविशेषणम्

• राम: O Rama
• राम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• आज्ञापय: command
• आज्ञापय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थक/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (for the purpose of protection); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रक्षायाः अर्थः

• हयस्य: of the horse
• हयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अनुज्ञया: with permission
• अनुज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified ‘matimān vīraḥ’ (a wise hero) addressing Rāma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temple

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मतिमान्वीरः → मतिमान् वीरः (न् + व); रामाज्ञापय → राम आज्ञापय (a + ā); हयस्यानुज्ञया → हयस्य अनुज्ञया (a + a)

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Horse (haya)

FAQs

What is the central action requested in this verse?

The speaker asks Rāma to issue a clear command so he may undertake protective duty, specifically guarding the horse, with Rāma’s authorization.

What ethical lesson is implied by ‘with your permission’?

It highlights disciplined service: even a capable hero acts within rightful authority, valuing obedience and accountability over impulsive action.

Why is “protecting the horse” significant in Purāṇic royal contexts?

A royal horse can symbolize sovereignty and state-ritual integrity; guarding it represents protecting the king’s mandate, order, and dharmic governance.