Shloka 20

The Glory of Bhārata-varṣa: Enumerating Mountains, Rivers, and Regions

Devanagari script

मरुतां प्रवरां मेनां हेमां घृतवतीं तथा । अनावतीमनुष्णां च सेव्यां कापीं च सत्तमाः

Transliteration

marutāṃ pravarāṃ menāṃ hemāṃ ghṛtavatīṃ tathā | anāvatīmanuṣṇāṃ ca sevyāṃ kāpīṃ ca sattamāḥ

Translation

ഹേ സത്തമാ! മരുതുകളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠരായ മേനാ, ഹേമാ, ഘൃതവതീ; അതുപോലെ അനാവതീ, അനുഷ്ണാ, സേവ്യാ, കാപീ—ഇവരാണ് പ്രധാനങ്ങൾ.

Word by Word

• मरुताम्: of the Maruts
• मरुताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रवराम्: excellent, foremost
• प्रवराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• मेनाम्: Menā (river-name)
• मेनाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हेमाम्: Hemā (river-name)
• हेमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• घृतवतीम्: Ghṛtavatī (river-name)
• घृतवतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृतवत्/घृतवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle: ‘also/likewise’)

• अनावतीम्: Anāvatī (river-name)
• अनावतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुष्णाम्: not hot, cool
• अनुष्णाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/नकार-निषेध: न उष्णा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सेव्याम्: to be resorted to, service-worthy
• सेव्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (worthy to be served/visited)

• कापीम्: Kāpī (river-name)
• कापीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्तमाः: the best (sages/men)
• सत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे/कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘श्रेष्ठाः’

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice lists names; broader chapter likely in a Purāṇic dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अनावतीमनुष्णां = अनावतीम् + अनुष्णाम् (म् + अ → म).

Characters & Entities

• Maruts
• Menā
• Hemā
• Ghṛtavatī
• Anāvatī
• Anuṣṇā
• Sevyā
• Kāpī

FAQs

Who are the Maruts mentioned in this verse?

The Maruts are a class of storm- and wind-deities in Vedic and Purāṇic literature, often associated with Indra and atmospheric power. This verse lists certain Maruts as “foremost,” i.e., exemplary among their group.

Why does the Padma Purana include lists of divine names like this?

Such catalogues function as sacred taxonomy—preserving traditional names, lineages, and cosmic groupings. They also support recitation, remembrance (smaraṇa), and the organization of Purāṇic cosmology.

What is the ethical or spiritual takeaway from this shloka?

While primarily enumerative, the verse implicitly models reverence for cosmic order (ṛta/dharma): recognizing graded excellences (pravarāḥ) and honoring divine functions within the universe.