Shloka 57

Invocations, Definition and Authority of Purāṇa, Pulastya–Bhīṣma Frame, and the Creation–Dissolution Schema

Devanagari script

आराधितो बृहद्भूतस्तन्नो वद महामते । कीदृशं वा तपस्तेन को वान्यो नियमः कृतः

Transliteration

ārādhito bṛhadbhūtastanno vada mahāmate | kīdṛśaṃ vā tapastena ko vānyo niyamaḥ kṛtaḥ

Translation

«O grande ser Bṛhadbhūta foi propiciado; conta-nos isso, ó grande sábio. Que tipo de tapas ele realizou, e que outra disciplina (niyama) observou?»

Word by Word

• आराधितः: worshipped, propitiated
• आराधितः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय

• बृहद्भूतः: the great being
• बृहद्भूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (बृहन् भूतः)

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नः: to us / our
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन/एकवचन-समष्ट्यर्थ (our)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (महती मतिः यस्य)

• कीदृशम्: what kind of
• कीदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कः: what? which?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• नियमः: observance, rule
• नियमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृतः: done, performed
• कृतः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय

Speaker

Unspecified interlocutor addressing a sage (mahāmate) in a dialogic frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: बृहद्भूतस्तन्नो = बृहद्भूतः + तत् + नः (visarga sandhi: ḥ + t → st; then separation into तत् नः). वान्यो = वा + अन्यः (sandhi: ā + a → ā). Verse is interrogative/elliptical; finite verb 'अस्ति' understood with कीदृशं तपः / कः नियमः.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadbhūta

FAQs

What is being asked in this verse?

The speaker asks the wise narrator to explain how Bṛhadbhūta was propitiated—specifically, what austerities (tapas) and what additional observances (niyama) he performed.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti or spiritual practice?

It highlights that spiritual attainment is linked to intentional practice—worship/propitiation supported by tapas (austerity) and niyama (disciplined observance), a common Purāṇic framing of devotion and self-regulation.

What is the ethical lesson implied by the question about tapas and niyama?

The verse implies that results in spiritual life are not accidental; they arise from sustained effort, discipline, and ethical self-restraint—prompting the listener to value practice over mere curiosity.