Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 4

Yayāti and Mātali on the Order of Divine Worlds, the Merit of Śiva’s Name, and the Unity of Śiva and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

धर्मभावं प्रवक्ष्यामि आयासैरर्जितं पृथक् । उपरिष्टाच्च लोकानां स्वरूपं चाप्यनुक्रमात्

Transliteration

dharmabhāvaṃ pravakṣyāmi āyāsairarjitaṃ pṛthak | upariṣṭācca lokānāṃ svarūpaṃ cāpyanukramāt

Translation

ମୁଁ ଧର୍ମଭାବକୁ ବ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟା କରିବି—ଯାହା ପ୍ରୟାସରେ ପୃଥକ୍ ଭାବେ ଅର୍ଜିତ ହୁଏ; ଏବଂ କ୍ରମକ୍ରମେ ଉପରିସ୍ଥ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କର ସ୍ୱରୂପ ମଧ୍ୟ କହିବି।

Word by Word

• धर्मभावम्: the nature/state of dharma
• धर्मभावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + भाव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य भावः)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आयासैः: by efforts, with exertions
• आयासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• अर्जितम्: earned, acquired
• अर्जितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ज् (धातु) → अर्जित (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृथक्: separately, distinctly
• पृथक्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• उपरिष्टात्: from above; above
• उपरिष्टात्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• स्वरूपम्: the form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• अनुक्रमात्: in due order; sequentially
• अनुक्रमात्: Hetu/Adverbial (Manner/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (in the sense of 'in order/according to sequence')

Speaker

Unspecified (narrator/teacher continues the discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: आयासैरर्जितम् = आयासैः + अर्जितम्; उपरिष्टाच्च = उपरिष्टात् + च; चापि = च + अपि.

FAQs

What is meant by dharma being 'earned through effort' in this verse?

It indicates that dharma is not merely a label or inheritance; it is cultivated through disciplined action, restraint, and sustained practice.

What does the verse signal about the topic that follows?

It functions as a transition: after defining dharma, the speaker announces an ordered description of the higher worlds (upper lokas) and their characteristics.

What is the ethical lesson implied by this introduction?

That spiritual and moral attainment requires deliberate effort, and that understanding the cosmos is presented as a structured, step-by-step teaching rather than speculation.