Shloka 31

Narrative of King Pṛthu: Chastising and Milking the Earth

Devanagari script

निवासं चक्रिरे सर्वाः प्रजाः पुण्येन वै तदा । तासामाहारः संजातः फलमूलमधुस्तथा

Transliteration

nivāsaṃ cakrire sarvāḥ prajāḥ puṇyena vai tadā | tāsāmāhāraḥ saṃjātaḥ phalamūlamadhustathā

Translation

ແລ້ວໂດຍອານຸພາບແຫ່ງບຸນ (puṇya) ປະຊາທັງປວງໄດ້ສ້າງທີ່ຢູ່ອາໄສ; ແລະອາຫານຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າກໍເປັນຜົນໄມ້ ຮາກໄມ້ ແລະນ້ຳເຜິ້ງດ້ວຍ।

Word by Word

• निवासम्: dwelling / residence
• निवासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• चक्रिरे: they made
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; प्रजाः इति विशेषणम्

• प्रजाः: the people/creatures
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुण्येन: by merit / due to virtue
• पुण्येन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• आहारः: food
• आहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संजातः: arisen / produced
• संजातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आहारः इति विशेषणम्

• फलमूलमधु: fruits, roots, and honey
• फलमूलमधु: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: fruits + roots + honey), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आहारः इत्यस्य स्वरूपम्

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (thus/also)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Purāṇic account)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तासामाहारः = तासाम् + आहारः (स्वर-सन्धि); फलमूलमधुस्तथा = फलमूलमधु + तथा (विसर्ग-सन्धि: उस्त)।

FAQs

What lifestyle does this verse depict in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa?

It depicts an early, simplified mode of life where people settle peacefully and live on naturally available foods—fruits, roots, and honey—suggesting non-violent, low-dependence sustenance.

Why is “puṇya” emphasized as the cause of settlement and sustenance?

The verse frames social stability and adequate nourishment as outcomes of collective merit (puṇya), aligning with Purāṇic ethics where moral order supports material well-being.

What ethical lesson can be drawn from this shloka?

Contentment and harmony arise when people live virtuously and take only what is naturally and ethically obtainable, minimizing harm and excess.