Shloka 47

Invocations, Definition and Authority of Purāṇa, Pulastya–Bhīṣma Frame, and the Creation–Dissolution Schema

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा यत्पुरा प्रोक्तं पुलस्त्याय महात्मने । पुलस्त्येनाथ भीष्माय गंगाद्वारे प्रभाषितम्

Transliteration

brahmaṇā yatpurā proktaṃ pulastyāya mahātmane | pulastyenātha bhīṣmāya gaṃgādvāre prabhāṣitam

Translation

ಪೂರ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನು ಮಹಾತ್ಮ ಪುಲಸ್ತ್ಯನಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದನ್ನೇ, ಪುಲಸ್ತ್ಯನು ನಂತರ ಗಂಗಾದ್ವಾರದಲ್ಲಿ (ಹರಿದ್ವಾರದಲ್ಲಿ) ಭೀಷ್ಮನಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• पुरा: formerly; once
• पुरा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: “formerly”)

• प्रोक्तम्: was spoken; was taught
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुलस्त्याय: to Pulastya
• पुलस्त्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे (epithet)

• पुलस्त्येन: by Pulastya
• पुलस्त्येन: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• अथ: then; thereafter
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक-निपात (particle: “then/now”)

• भीष्माय: to Bhīṣma
• भीष्माय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन

• गंगाद्वारे: at Gaṅgā-dvāra (Haridvāra)
• गंगाद्वारे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā + dvāra (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• प्रभाषितम्: was spoken; was expounded
• प्रभाषितम्: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भाष् (धातु) + प्रभाषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narratorial framing verse (establishing the transmission: Brahmā → Pulastya → Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्पुरा = यत् + पुरा; पुलस्त्येनाथ = पुलस्त्येन + अथ; गंगाद्वारे = गंगा + द्वारे (तत्पुरुष: गङ्गायाः द्वारम्).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Pulastya
• Bhīṣma
• Gaṅgādvāra (Haridvāra)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What does this verse indicate about how the Padma Purana is transmitted?

It frames the teaching as a lineage (paramparā): first spoken by Brahmā to the sage Pulastya, and later expounded by Pulastya to Bhīṣma—establishing authority through sacred transmission.

What is Gaṅgādvāra, and why is it significant here?

Gaṅgādvāra literally means “the gate/threshold of the Gaṅgā,” traditionally identified with Haridvāra, a major tīrtha. The verse situates the discourse in a sanctified geographic setting.

What ethical or spiritual lesson is implied by this framing verse?

It emphasizes humility and fidelity in receiving and transmitting sacred knowledge—learning from qualified sources and passing teachings onward without distortion.