Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 1

The Rise of Soma-vaṁśa: Budha’s Birth and Purūravā–Urvaśī; The Origin of Karma-kāṇḍa in Tretā-yuga

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच अथात: श्रुयतां राजन् वंश: सोमस्य पावन: । यस्मिन्नैलादयो भूपा: कीर्त्यन्ते पुण्यकीर्तय: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca athātaḥ śrūyatāṁ rājan vaṁśaḥ somasya pāvanaḥ yasminn ailādayo bhūpāḥ kīrtyante puṇya-kīrtayaḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva berkata: Wahai Raja, kini dengarkan kisah suci dan mulia tentang wangsa Candra (dinasti bulan), di mana raja-raja seperti Aila (Purūravā) dipuji dengan kemasyhuran yang membawa pahala rohani.

Synonyms

• श्रीशुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्रीशुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—श्री + शुक (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (conjunctive particle: 'then/now')

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थक अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from this')

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन?; actually 3rd person singular with ending -ताम् (आत्मनेपद, passive/कर्मणि प्रयोगः): 'let it be heard'

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

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

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

• पावनः: purifying
• पावनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying वंशः)

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• ऐलादयः: Aila and others
• ऐलादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—ऐल + आदि (आदि-तत्पुरुषः: 'Aila and others')

• भूपाः: kings
• भूपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कीर्त्यन्ते: are glorified
• कीर्त्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः: 'are glorified/are mentioned'

• पुण्यकीर्तयः: of pious fame
• पुण्यकीर्तयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—पुण्या कीर्तिः येषाम् (कर्मधारयः: 'of holy fame'); विशेषणम् (qualifying भूपाः)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva
• King Parīkṣit
• Soma (Candra, the Moon-god)
• Aila (Purūravas)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Moon dynasty (Chandravansha)?

In this verse, Śukadeva introduces Soma’s lineage as “pāvana”—purifying—and says that kings beginning with Aila (Purūravas) are glorified for their pious fame.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī say “please hear, O King” to Parīkṣit Mahārāja?

Śukadeva is narrating the Bhāgavatam to Parīkṣit, guiding him through sacred histories; here he transitions to the Moon dynasty and invites attentive hearing as a devotional act.

Practical application: How can hearing sacred histories help in modern life?

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa (hearing) of sanctifying narratives; regularly listening to or reading such accounts can inspire virtue, humility, and devotion while shaping one’s values through exemplary lives.