Shloka 53

Puṣkara Mahatmya: Brahmā’s Lotus-Tīrtha, Sacrifice, Initiation, and Kṣetra-Dharma

Devanagari script

ददर्शादर्शवद्दृष्ट्या सौम्ययापा पयन्निव । ता वृक्षपंक्तयः सर्वा दृष्ट्वा देवं तथागतम्

Transliteration

dadarśādarśavaddṛṣṭyā saumyayāpā payanniva | tā vṛkṣapaṃktayaḥ sarvā dṛṣṭvā devaṃ tathāgatam

Translation

ด้วยสายพระเนตรดุจกระจกไร้มลทิน พระองค์ทอดพระเนตรภาพอันอ่อนโยนนั้น ราวกับกำลังดื่มด่ำมันอยู่ และหมู่แนวไม้ทั้งปวง ครั้นเห็นเทพผู้เสด็จมาดังนั้น ก็พากันจ้องมองด้วยความพิศวง

Word by Word

• ददर्श: he saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'he saw'

• आदर्श-वत्: like a mirror
• आदर्श-वत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः/उपमानवाचक-विशेषण; 'mirror-like' (indeclinable-like usage) qualifying दृष्ट्या

• दृष्ट्या: with (his) sight/vision
• दृष्ट्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• सौम्यया: gentle/pleasant
• सौम्यया: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; दृष्ट्या इति विशेषण

• अप: (particle)
• अप: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात/पादपूरण; here likely metrical filler with 'पयन् इव' sense

• पयन्: drinking
• पयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'drinking' (as if)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक

• ताः: those (f.)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वृक्षपङ्क्तयः इत्यस्य सह-सम्बन्ध (apposition)

• वृक्ष-पङ्क्तयः: rows of trees
• वृक्ष-पङ्क्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'वृक्षाणां पङ्क्तयः' = rows of trees

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वृक्षपङ्क्तयः इति विशेषण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया = 'having seen'

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दृष्ट्वा इत्यस्य कर्म

• तथा-गतम्: thus arrived
• तथा-गतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: 'तथा गतम्' = 'thus come/arrived in that manner'; देवम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Narratorial voice (third-person description within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narrative context; explicit dialogue speaker not identifiable from this single verse alone).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ददर्शादर्शवद्दृष्ट्या = ददर्श + आदर्श-वत् + दृष्ट्या; सौम्ययापा = सौम्यया + अप; पयन्निव = पयन् + इव; वृक्षपंक्तयः = वृक्ष-पङ्क्तयः; तथागतम् = तथा-गतम्

Characters & Entities

• deva

FAQs

What is the central image used in this verse?

The verse centers on a “mirror-like gaze” (ādarśa-vat dṛṣṭi), suggesting clarity and purity of perception, paired with the poetic idea of “drinking in” a pleasing sight.

Who is the “deva” mentioned here?

The verse only says “deva” (a deity) without naming which one; identifying the specific deity requires the surrounding verses of Adhyaya 15.

What devotional or ethical lesson can be drawn from this verse?

It highlights attentive, reverent perception—seeing the world (and the divine presence) with clarity and gentleness—an attitude aligned with contemplative devotion and purity of mind.