Shloka 1

Pramlaucā’s appearance and Ruci’s marriage to Māninī

Devanagari script

नामैकोननवतितमो ऽध्यायः माक्रण्डेय उवाच / ततस्तस्मान्नदीमध्यात्समुत्तस्थौ मनोरमा / प्रम्लौचा नाम तन्वङ्गी तत्समीपे वराप्सराः

Transliteration

nāmaikonanavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ mākraṇḍeya uvāca / tatastasmānnadīmadhyātsamuttasthau manoramā / pramlaucā nāma tanvaṅgī tatsamīpe varāpsarāḥ

Translation

ఎనభై తొమ్మిదవ అధ్యాయం. మార్కండేయుడు పలికెను—అప్పుడు ఆ నది మధ్యభాగం నుండి మనోహరమైన, సన్నని అవయవాలుగల ప్రమ్లోచా అనే అప్సరస లేచి వచ్చింది; ఆమె సమీపంలో ఇతర ఉత్తమ అప్సరసలు కూడా ఉన్నారు.

Word by Word

• nāma: (called)
• nāma: Sambandha (Heading/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शीर्षक-शब्द (title marker)

• eka-ūna-navatitamaḥ: eighty-ninth
• eka-ūna-navatitamaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + ūna (प्रातिपदिक) + navati (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Mārkaṇḍeya
• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ऋषिनाम

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• nadī-madhyāt: from the middle of the river
• nadī-madhyāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• sam-uttasthau: arose, stood up
• sam-uttasthau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: सम् + उत्

• manoramā: Manoramā
• manoramā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manoramā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• pramlaucā: Pramlaucā
• pramlaucā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramlaucā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अप्सरानाम

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (Apposition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (quotative/नाम-प्रयोग)

• tanu-aṅgī: slender-limbed
• tanu-aṅgī: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'तन्वङ्गा यस्याः सा'

• tat-samīpe: near her/that (place)
• tat-samīpe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• vara-apsarāḥ: excellent apsarases
• vara-apsarāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय—'वराः अप्सरसः'

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world contains liminal moments where unseen forces (devas/apsarases) influence human tapas and destiny.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā and the play of guṇas: alluring forms arise and pass, testing steadiness of mind.

Application: Treat sudden attractions and distractions as tests; maintain discernment (viveka) in spiritually charged or emotionally stirring situations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: river/ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Purvakhanda) narratives of sages tested by celestial beings (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Pramlaucā
• Apsarās
• Nadī (river)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pramlaucā in the Garuda Purana narrative?

This verse introduces Pramlaucā as a prominent apsarā appearing dramatically from a river, signaling the start of a specific mythic episode centered on divine beings and their actions.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on the soul’s journey after death?

This specific verse is narrative and does not directly describe afterlife mechanics; it functions as scene-setting within a broader chapter, unlike the later sections that detail preta-journey, karma, and ritual duties.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to read Purāṇic passages in context—distinguishing narrative episodes from doctrinal sections—so that teachings on dharma and conduct are applied accurately.