Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 23

The Nahusha Episode: Aśokasundarī’s Austerity and Huṇḍa’s Doom

Devanagari script

एवं सा तद्वचः श्रुत्वा तमुवाच तपस्विनी । मा हुंड साहसं कार्षीर्मा जल्पस्व पुनः पुनः

Transliteration

evaṃ sā tadvacaḥ śrutvā tamuvāca tapasvinī | mā huṃḍa sāhasaṃ kārṣīrmā jalpasva punaḥ punaḥ

Translation

Assim, ao ouvir suas palavras, a mulher asceta lhe disse: «Ó Huṇḍa, não cometas ousadia violenta; não fales repetidas vezes».

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वचः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), अव्ययभावः

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपस्विनी: the ascetic woman
• तपस्विनी: Apposition (Same referent/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानाधिकरणम् (apposition to सा)

• मा: do not
• मा: Nishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• हुंड: O Huṇḍa
• हुंड: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुंड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• साहसम्: rash act, violence
• साहसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्षीः: do (not do)
• कार्षीः: Kriya (Prohibited action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; निषेध ‘मा’ सह—‘मा कार्षीः’ (prohibitive aorist)

• मा: do not
• मा: Nishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• जल्पस्व: talk/prattle
• जल्पस्व: Kriya (Prohibited action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जल्प् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘मा’ सह निषेधार्थे

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• पुनः: again and again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-बल (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

tapasvinī (an ascetic woman)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्वचः = तत् + वचः; तमुवाच = तम् + उवाच; मा हुंड = मा + हुंड (सम्बोधन); ‘मा’ + लुङ् (कार्षीः) निषेधार्थक-प्रयोगः.

Characters & Entities

• Huṃḍa

FAQs

What ethical lesson is emphasized in this verse?

It teaches restraint—avoiding reckless or violent action (sāhasa) and avoiding repetitive, uncontrolled speech (jalpa).

Who is being addressed as “Huṃḍa” here?

“Huṃḍa” is a named individual being admonished; the verse presents him as the direct addressee of the ascetic woman’s warning.

How does this verse fit Padma Purana’s moral tone in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa?

It reflects dharma-oriented counsel typical of the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa: controlling impulses (violence and speech) as foundational to righteous conduct.