Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 17

Rudra’s Removal of Brahmahatyā; Kapālamocana and Avimukta Māhātmya; Origins of Nara and Karṇa

link to Arjuna/Karna query

Devanagari script

पंचाशद्योजना दैर्घ्याद्विस्ताराद्दशयोजना । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं सा समुवाह हरेर्भुजात्

Transliteration

paṃcāśadyojanā dairghyādvistārāddaśayojanā | divyavarṣasahasraṃ sā samuvāha harerbhujāt

Translation

Limampung yojana ang haba at sampung yojana ang lapad, siya’y dinala sa loob ng sanlibong banal na taon sa bisig ni Hari (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• paṃcāśat-yojanā: fifty yojanas (in extent)
• paṃcāśat-yojanā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃcāśat-yojana (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्चाशत् + योजन)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa; agrees with implied (dhārā)

• dairghyāt: in length; lengthwise
• dairghyāt: Sambandha (Measure/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dairghya (प्रातिपदिक; from dīrgha)
• Form: Napumsaka (neuter), Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana; ablative of measure/respect (lengthwise)

• vistārāt: in breadth; in width
• vistārāt: Sambandha (Measure/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana; ablative of measure/respect (in breadth)

• daśa-yojanā: ten yojanas (in breadth)
• daśa-yojanā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa-yojana (प्रातिपदिक; दश + योजन)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa; agrees with implied (dhārā)

• divya-varṣa-sahasram: a thousand divine years
• divya-varṣa-sahasram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divya-varṣa-sahasra (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + वर्ष + सहस्र)
• Form: Napumsaka (neuter), Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; kāla-parimāṇa as object (duration)

• sā: she/that (stream)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; refers to (dhārā)

• samuvāha: carried along; flowed on
• samuvāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√vah (धातु; वह्)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; upasargas: sam- + ud-

• hareḥ: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hareḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; sambandha

• bhujāt: from the arm
• bhujāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana; apādāna (source)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (context not provided to identify the dialogue pair)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: paṃcāśadyojanā = paṃcāśat + yojanā; dairghyādvistārāt = dairghyāt + vistārāt (t + v → d + v by external sandhi/voicing); vistārāddaśayojanā = vistārāt + daśa-yojanā (t + d → dd); harerbhujāt = hareḥ + bhujāt (visarga before b → r).

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

What does this verse convey through its measurements (yojanas)?

It uses cosmic-scale dimensions—length and breadth in yojanas—to portray a vast Puranic object/entity, emphasizing the grandeur typical of creation-era descriptions.

Why does the verse mention “a thousand divine years” (divya-varṣa-sahasra)?

“Divine years” signal a non-human timescale used in Puranic cosmology, indicating an extraordinarily long duration that situates the event in a mythic-cosmic frame.

What theological idea is suggested by being borne on Hari’s arm?

The image implies dependence upon Viṣṇu as sustainer—whatever “she” refers to is supported and upheld by Hari, reflecting a Vaishnava theme of divine maintenance of the cosmos.