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Shloka 20

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

श्रीराजोवाच कथं त आसुरं भावमपोह्यौत्पत्तिकं गुरो । इन्द्रेण प्रापिता: सात्म्यं किं तत्साधु कृतं हि तै: ॥ २० ॥

śrī-rājovāca kathaṁ ta āsuraṁ bhāvam apohyautpattikaṁ guro indreṇa prāpitāḥ sātmyaṁ kiṁ tat sādhu kṛtaṁ hi taiḥ

രാജാവ് പരീക്ഷിത്ത് ചോദിച്ചു: ഹേ ഗുരോ, അസുരഭാവത്തോടെ ജനിച്ച മരുത്തുക്കൾ ആ സ്വഭാവം വെടിഞ്ഞ് ഇന്ദ്രന് തുല്യമായ പദവി എങ്ങനെ നേടി? അവർ എന്ത് പുണ്യകർമ്മമാണ് അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചത്?

श्री-राजाthe glorious king
श्री-राजा:
Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रीः + राजा = ‘श्रीमान् राजा’)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
कथम्how
कथम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)
तेthem
ते:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
आसुरम्demonic
आसुरम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भावम् इति विशेष्यस्य)
भावम्disposition/nature
भावम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन
अपोह्यhaving removed
अपोह्य:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअप-ऊह् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having removed/dispelled’
औत्पत्तिकम्innate/by birth
औत्पत्तिकम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऔत्पत्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भावम् इति)
गुरोO teacher
गुरो:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
इन्द्रेणby Indra
इन्द्रेण:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन
प्रापिताःwere caused to attain
प्रापिताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-आप् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः—‘(ते) प्रापिताः’ = ‘were made to attain’
सात्म्यम्compatibility/assimilation
सात्म्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन
किम्what?
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक
तत्that
तत्:
Anuyogi (निर्देश/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; निर्देशक
साधुwell/virtuously
साधु:
Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसाधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; प्रशंसार्थक (approbative particle/adverb)
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कृतं’ = ‘done’
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)
तैःby them
तैः:
Kartr-karana (कर्ता/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन
I
Indra

FAQs

This verse shows that even an inborn asuric disposition can be cast off, and Parīkṣit specifically asks what virtuous cause enabled such a transformation.

In the narrative context of Canto 6, Parīkṣit is trying to understand the moral and spiritual reason behind a surprising reconciliation involving Indra and those previously opposed to him.

The verse encourages inquiry into the specific good actions and influences that reform character—suggesting that intentional virtuous practice and guidance can change even deep-rooted habits.