Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 64

Aśokasundarī and Huṇḍa: Chastity, Karma, and the Foretold Rise of Nahuṣa

Devanagari script

सोवाच दानवेंद्रस्य दृष्टपूर्वस्य वै त्वया । तस्य स्थानं महाभागे सोऽहं दानवपुंगवः

Transliteration

sovāca dānaveṃdrasya dṛṣṭapūrvasya vai tvayā | tasya sthānaṃ mahābhāge so'haṃ dānavapuṃgavaḥ

Translation

ସେ କହିଲା—“ହେ ମହାଭାଗେ, ତୁମେ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଦାନବେନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖିଛ। ଏହା ତାଙ୍କର ନିବାସ; ମୁଁ ହିଁ ସେଇ ଦାନବଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ।”

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular pronoun)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg)

• dānava-indrasya: of the lord of the Dānavas
• dānava-indrasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava-indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दानवानाम् इन्द्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• dṛṣṭa-pūrvasya: previously seen
• dṛṣṭa-pūrvasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa-pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वं दृष्टः), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्ताधारित विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; dānava-indrasya इति विशेषणम्

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular pronoun)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• sthānam: place, abode
• sthānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom/Acc sg; here predicate/object)

• mahā-bhāge: O fortunate lady
• mahā-bhāge: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् भागः यस्य), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• saḥ: that (one)/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular pronoun)

• dānava-puṃgavaḥ: the foremost of the Dānavas
• dānava-puṃgavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava-puṃgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दानवानां पुंगवः = best of Dānavas), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

A dānava (foremost among the Dānavas), identifying himself

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: sovāca ← saḥ + uvāca (visarga sandhi: saḥ + u- → so-). dānaveṃdrasya ← dānava-indrasya (vowel sandhi: a+i → e). so'haṃ ← saḥ + aham (visarga sandhi: saḥ + a- → so'ham).

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Dānava-indra

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and what is he claiming?

A Dānava is speaking, declaring that the listener has seen the Dānava-lord before and that he himself is that very foremost Dānava, indicating the location as the Dānava’s abode.

What is the narrative function of mentioning “his abode” (tasya sthānam)?

It situates the dialogue in a specific locale and confirms identity through place—an epic motif where recognition is reinforced by naming a known dwelling or domain.

What ethical or thematic lesson can be drawn from this line?

The verse highlights the power of recognition and truth-claim in dialogue: identity is asserted through prior encounter and contextual proof (place), a common device used to test discernment and establish credibility.