Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 21

Yayāti Episode: Indra’s Anxiety, the Messenger Motif, and a Discourse on Time (Kāla) and Karma

Devanagari script

स्वतेजसाहंकारेण स्वर्गरूपं तु भूतलम् । दर्शितं हि महाराज त्वत्समो नास्ति भूपतिः

Transliteration

svatejasāhaṃkāreṇa svargarūpaṃ tu bhūtalam | darśitaṃ hi mahārāja tvatsamo nāsti bhūpatiḥ

Translation

汝みずからの光輝と王者の威徳によって、大地を天界のごとく顕した。まことに大王よ、汝に比肩する君主はない。

Word by Word

• स्व: own
• स्व: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग), ‘own’

• तेजसा: by (your) splendor
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• अहंकारेण: by self-confidence/pride
• अहंकारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• स्वर्गरूपम्: heaven-like
• स्वर्गरूपम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वर्गस्य रूपम् / स्वर्गरूपम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative used predicatively ‘heaven-like’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• भूतलम्: the earth
• भूतलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दर्शितम्: has been shown
• दर्शितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातु (दर्शयति) का क्त-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been shown/made manifest’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् राजा), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• त्वत्समः: equal to you
• त्वत्समः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्वया समः/त्वत्समः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; present ‘is/exists’

• भूपतिः: king/lord of the earth
• भूपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूः पाति/भू-पतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Unspecified courtly narrator/minister (speaker not identified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वतेजसाहंकारेण = स्व + तेजसा + अहंकारेण (समास/सन्धि); त्वत्समो = त्वत् + समः; नास्ति = न + अस्ति.

FAQs

What is the central idea of this shloka?

It praises a king, saying that his personal splendor and authority make the earthly realm feel heaven-like, and that no other ruler equals him.

Does the verse endorse pride (ahaṅkāra) as a virtue?

The word ahaṅkāra here functions in a courtly, laudatory sense (royal self-regard/majesty). In broader dharma literature, unchecked pride is cautioned against, so the tone is contextual praise rather than a universal ethical endorsement.

How does this relate to Rajadharma in the Padma Purana?

It reflects the ideal that a righteous, powerful king can transform society—symbolically making “earth like heaven” through order, prosperity, and protection—an important theme in discussions of governance and duty.