Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18

The Battle of Nahuṣa and Huṇḍa

within the Guru-tīrtha Glorification Episode

Devanagari script

सूर्यवच्छोभते राजा पूर्वकालस्य चांबरे । दृष्ट्वा तु पौरुषं तस्य दानवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sūryavacchobhate rājā pūrvakālasya cāṃbare | dṛṣṭvā tu pauruṣaṃ tasya dānavaṃ vākyamabravīt

Translation

ਰਾਜਾ ਪੂਰਵਕਾਲ ਦੇ ਆਕਾਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੂਰਜ ਵਾਂਗ ਚਮਕਦਾ ਸੀ। ਉਸ ਦਾ ਪੌਰੁਸ਼ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ ਦਾਨਵ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਬਚਨ ਕਹੇ।

Word by Word

• सूर्यवत्: like the sun
• सूर्यवत्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त, adverbial ‘like the sun’)

• शोभते: shines
• शोभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• पूर्वकालस्य: of earlier times
• पूर्वकालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-काल (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (former time)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• पौरुषम्: valor, manliness
• पौरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दानवम्: the demon
• दानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words, speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (introducing that the Dānava speaks next)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सूर्यवच्छोभते = सूर्यवत् + शोभते; चांबरे = च + अम्बरे; वाक्यमब्रवीत् = वाक्यम् + अब्रवीत्.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the main image used to describe the king in this verse?

The king is compared to the sun—radiant and prominent—shining in the sky, emphasizing his splendor and authority.

Who speaks in this verse and what is happening in the narrative?

The verse functions as narration: it states that a Dānava, after observing the king’s valor, begins to speak to him.

What ethical or dharmic lesson is implied here?

The verse highlights the ideal of visible courage and excellence (pauruṣa) in leadership—valor that commands acknowledgment even from adversaries.