Shloka 142

Cosmic Time, Cycles of Creation and Dissolution, and the Varāha Uplift of Earth

Devanagari script

ततो दुर्गाणि ताश्चक्रुर्वार्क्षं पार्वतमौदकम् । धान्वनं च तथा दुर्गं पुरं खार्वटकादि यत्

Transliteration

tato durgāṇi tāścakrurvārkṣaṃ pārvatamaudakam | dhānvanaṃ ca tathā durgaṃ puraṃ khārvaṭakādi yat

Translation

แล้วพวกเขาจึงสร้างป้อมปราการ—ป้อมในพงไพร ป้อมบนภูผา ป้อมท่ามกลางสายน้ำ และป้อมในถิ่นกันดาร; อีกทั้งสร้างนครต่าง ๆ เช่น ขารวฏกะ เป็นต้น

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sequence marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम-वाचक (then)

• दुर्गाणि: forts
• दुर्गाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ताः: they
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चक्रुः: made/constructed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वार्क्षम्: wooden/forest-based
• वार्क्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वार्क्ष (प्रातिपदिक; वृक्ष-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दुर्गम् इति विशेषणम् (elliptic: वार्क्षं दुर्गम्)

• पार्वतम्: mountain (fort)
• पार्वतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दुर्गम् इति विशेषणम्

• औदकम्: water (fort)
• औदकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औदक (प्रातिपदिक; उदक-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दुर्गम् इति विशेषणम्

• धान्वनम्: desert/forest-tract (fort)
• धान्वनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धान्वन (प्रातिपदिक; धन्वन्/धन्व-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दुर्गम् इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चय-वाचक (likewise)

• दुर्गम्: a fort
• दुर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुरम्: a city
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• खार्वटक-आदि: (a settlement) such as khārvaṭaka etc.
• खार्वटक-आदि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खार्वटक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (खार्वटकः आदिः यस्य) = ‘beginning with khārvaṭaka’; पुरम् इति विशेषणम्

• यत्: which/that which
• यत्: Anvaya-link (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tāścakrur = ताः + चक्रुः; pārvatamaudakam = पार्वतम् + औदकम्; khārvaṭakādi = खार्वटक-आदि.

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about ancient fortification types mentioned in the Padma Purana?

It classifies forts by terrain—forest (vārkṣa), mountain (pārvat), water-surrounded (audaka), and desert (dhānvana)—showing an early strategic-geographical way of describing settlements.

How does this verse relate to the Padma Purana’s broader creation-era narrative?

In the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, creation is portrayed not only as the origin of beings but also as the organization of human life—settlements, cities, and defensive structures emerging according to landscape.

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

It suggests the value of adapting human planning to local conditions—security and stability are achieved by understanding terrain and building appropriately rather than relying on a single, uniform approach.