Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 21

Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma

Devanagari script

अन्यच्चैवं प्रवक्ष्यामि पतिव्रतमनुत्तमम् । वाचा सुमनसा चैव कर्मणा शृणु भामिनि

Transliteration

anyaccaivaṃ pravakṣyāmi pativratamanuttamam | vācā sumanasā caiva karmaṇā śṛṇu bhāmini

Translation

ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਵੀ ਮੈਂ ਹੁਣ ਪਤਿਵ੍ਰਤਾ ਦਾ ਇਹ ਅਨੁੱਤਮ ਧਰਮ ਵਰਣਨ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ। ਸੁਣ, ਹੇ ਸੁੰਦਰਿ—ਵਾਣੀ ਵਿੱਚ, ਸੁਮਨ (ਪਵਿੱਤਰ) ਮਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਨਿਭਾਉਣਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• अन्यत्: another (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यत् (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun/adjective used substantively)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (object of 'I shall tell')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

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

• पतिव्रतम्: the vow/duty of devotion to one’s husband
• पतिव्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies पतिव्रतम्)

• वाचा: by speech
• वाचा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्/वाणी (प्रातिपदिक; here वाचा from वाच्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (by speech)

• सुमनसा: with a good mind
• सुमनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (पूर्वपद) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (with a good mind/with goodwill)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• कर्मणा: by action
• कर्मणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (by action/deed)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भामिनि: O fair/angry lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक; vocative address)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a woman (bhāmini) within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अन्यच्चैवम् = अन्यत् + च + एवम्

FAQs

What is the central teaching of this verse?

It introduces an “unsurpassed” model of pativratā-dharma and frames it as a threefold discipline: purity and restraint in speech, goodness of mind, and righteous conduct in action.

Why does the verse mention speech, mind, and action together?

It emphasizes integrity—dharma is not only external behavior but must be consistent across thought (manas), word (vāc), and deed (karma).

What ethical lesson can be drawn beyond the specific topic of pativratā?

The broader ethical principle is coherence of character: true virtue is practiced internally and externally, aligning intention, communication, and behavior.