Shloka 148

Pṛthu’s Earth-Milking, the Etymology of ‘Pṛthivī,’ and the Vaivasvata (Solar) Genealogy

Devanagari script

ततः षष्टिसहस्राणि सुषुवे यादवी प्रभा । खनंतः पृथिवीं दग्धा विष्णुना ये ऽश्वमार्गणे

Transliteration

tataḥ ṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi suṣuve yādavī prabhā | khanaṃtaḥ pṛthivīṃ dagdhā viṣṇunā ye 'śvamārgaṇe

Translation

Kemudian Yādavī Prabhā melahirkan enam puluh ribu putra. Saat menggali bumi mencari kuda kurban (aśvamedha), mereka hangus terbakar oleh Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereafter)

• षष्टिसहस्राणि: sixty-thousands
• षष्टिसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• सुषुवे: gave birth to
• सुषुवे: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सु-षू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यादवी: Yādavī (epithet)
• यादवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; जातिवाचक/गोत्रवाचक विशेषणरूपेण (as epithet)

• प्रभा: Prabhā
• प्रभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• खनन्तः: digging
• खनन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खन् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दग्धाः: burnt
• दग्धाः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karaṇa/Agent-in-passive (Instrumental agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अश्वमार्गणे: in the search for the horse
• अश्वमार्गणे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘अश्वस्य मार्गणम्’; अधिकरण (locative)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; specific dialogue pair not explicit from the single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: netherworld

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ये ऽश्वमार्गणे = ये + अश्वमार्गणे (अवग्रह).

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Yādavī Prabhā

FAQs

What event is referenced by the ‘search for the horse’ (aśva-mārgaṇa)?

It alludes to the aśvamedha narrative motif where a consecrated horse is pursued; those involved dig and search aggressively, leading here to their destruction by Viṣṇu.

Why are the sixty thousand said to be burned by Viṣṇu?

The verse presents their end as a divine act linked to their disruptive, earth-tearing search; it underscores that power and numbers do not protect against divine law and consequence.

What ethical lesson does this verse convey?

Unchecked zeal and harmful action—symbolized by digging up the earth in pursuit of an objective—can lead to ruin; success in ritual or ambition must be aligned with dharma.