Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

सांवत्सरं पुंसवनं व्रतमेतदविप्लुतम् । धारयिष्यसि चेत्तुभ्यं शक्रहा भविता सुत: ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

sāṁvatsaraṁ puṁsavanaṁ vratam etad aviplutam dhārayiṣyasi cet tubhyaṁ śakra-hā bhavitā sutaḥ

Translation

ਕਸ਼੍ਯਪ ਮੁਨੀ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਜੇ ਤੂੰ ‘ਪੁੰਸਵਨ’ ਨਾਮਕ ਇਹ ਵਰਤ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ ਨਾਲ ਘੱਟੋ-ਘੱਟ ਇੱਕ ਸਾਲ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਚੂਕ ਦੇ ਨਿਭਾਵੇਂਗੀ, ਤਾਂ ਤੇਰਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਇੰਦਰ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ; ਪਰ ਵਰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਖ਼ਲਲ ਪਿਆ ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਇੰਦਰ ਦਾ ਮਿੱਤਰ ਬਣੇਗਾ।

Synonyms

• sāṁvatsaram: for a year / annual
• sāṁvatsaram: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāṁvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (for one year)

• puṁsavanam: the puṁsavana rite/vow
• puṁsavanam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṁsavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; व्रतनाम

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; व्रतम् इति विशेषण

• aviplutam: unbroken / without interruption
• aviplutam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vipluta (कृदन्त; √plu प्लु + क्त, with negation)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘unbroken/without lapse’

• dhārayiṣyasi: you will observe/maintain
• dhārayiṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• tubhyam: for you / to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीय-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• śakra: Śakra (Indra)
• śakra: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound)

• hā: slayer of Indra
• hā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (हन्) (कृदन्त; √han हन् + क्विप्/ण्वुल्-प्रायः agentive)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (śakra-hā = ‘slayer of Indra’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavitā: will be
• bhavitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• sutaḥ: son
• sutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Kashyapa
• Diti
• Shakra (Indra)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the puṁsavana vrata?

This verse states that if the puṁsavana vow is observed without break for one full year, it can grant the desired result—here, the birth of a powerful son.

Why did Kashyapa Muni say this to Diti?

In the narrative, Diti desired a son who could kill Indra (Śakra). Kashyapa instructed her in a strict vow and explained the promised outcome if she maintained it faithfully.

Practical application of observing a vow in modern life according to this verse?

The verse emphasizes consistency and purity of practice—results come when a commitment is maintained steadily and without lapses.