Shloka 1

Chandravamsa and Yadu Lineage: From Soma to the Vrishnis, Krishna’s Family, and the Transition to Puru

Devanagari script

नामाष्टत्रिंशदुत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / सूर्यस्य कथितो वंशः सोमवंशं शृणुष्व मे / नारायणसुतो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मणो ऽत्रेः समुद्भवः

Transliteration

nāmāṣṭatriṃśaduttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / sūryasya kathito vaṃśaḥ somavaṃśaṃ śṛṇuṣva me / nārāyaṇasuto brahmā brahmaṇo 'treḥ samudbhavaḥ

Translation

നൂറ്റി മുപ്പത്തൊമ്പതാം അധ്യായം. ഹരി അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു— സൂര്യവംശം വിവരിച്ചു; ഇനി എന്റെ വാക്കുകളിൽ സോമവംശം ശ്രവിക്ക. നാരായണനിൽ നിന്ന് ബ്രഹ്മാ ജനിച്ചു; ബ്രഹ്മയിൽ നിന്ന് അത്രി ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• नाम: name (titled as)
• नाम: Karta (Heading/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शीर्षकवाचक

• अष्टत्रिंशदुत्तरशततमः: one hundred and thirty-eighth
• अष्टत्रिंशदुत्तरशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टत्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + तम (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (संख्यावाचक-समाहार/निर्देश); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शततम’ = 100th, ‘अष्टत्रिंशदुत्तर’ = 38 more → 138th

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूर्यस्य: of Sūrya
• सूर्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथितः: has been related
• कथितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कथित’ = ‘told/related’

• वंशः: lineage
• वंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सोमवंशम्: the lunar dynasty
• सोमवंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘सोमस्य वंशः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• नारायणसुतः: son of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘नारायणस्य सुतः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक ‘ब्रह्मन्’ का प्रथमा एकवचन रूप ‘ब्रह्मा’)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्रेः: of Atri
• अत्रेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुद्भवः: origin/offspring (arising)
• समुद्भवः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nārāyaṇa as ultimate source; dynastic history is grounded in the Lord’s primacy.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-kāraṇatva (God as causal ground) and emanational cosmology; devotion supported by seeing all origins in Nārāyaṇa.

Application: Contemplate origins as divine; begin study/recitation with śravaṇa-bhāva (reverent listening) and remembrance of Nārāyaṇa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: narrative frame (divine discourse)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.139 (Somavaṃśa narration begins); Garuda Purana 1.138 (completion of Sūryavaṃśa)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Surya
• Soma
• Narayana
• Brahma
• Atri

FAQs

What is the importance of the Somavaṃśa (Lunar dynasty) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse marks the transition from the Solar lineage to the Lunar dynasty, framing Somavaṃśa as a major sacred genealogy traced back through Atri to Brahmā and ultimately Nārāyaṇa.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the after-death journey here; instead, it establishes cosmic and dynastic origins, grounding later narratives in a lineage that begins with Nārāyaṇa and proceeds through Brahmā and Atri.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages a worldview that links human history to sacred origins—supporting practices like śraddhā and remembrance of ṛṣis and ancestors with humility and continuity.