Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 17

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

बाणज्येष्ठं पुत्रशतमशनायां ततोऽभवत् । तस्यानुभावं सुश्लोक्यं पश्चादेवाभिधास्यते ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

bāṇa-jyeṣṭhaṁ putra-śatam aśanāyāṁ tato ’bhavat tasyānubhāvaṁ suślokyaṁ paścād evābhidhāsyate

Translation

اس کے بعد بلی مہاراج نے اشنا کے بطن سے سو بیٹے پیدا کیے۔ ان سو بیٹوں میں راجا بان سب سے بڑا تھا۔ بلی مہاراج کے نہایت قابلِ ستائش کارنامے آگے (آٹھویں اسکندھ میں) بیان کیے جائیں گے۔

Synonyms

• बाण-ज्येष्ठम्: with Bāṇa as the eldest
• बाण-ज्येष्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; qualifier of पुत्रशतम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa; 'Bāṇa as eldest'), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); विशेषण (adjectival)

• पुत्र-शतम्: a hundred sons
• पुत्र-शतम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of अभवत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa; 'a hundred of sons'), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• अशनायाम्: in (the wife) Aśanā
• अशनायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location; in Aśanā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• ततः: thereupon/from her
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Discourse adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थ/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thereupon/from that')

• अभवत्: were born/there came to be
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुभावम्: prowess/influence
• अनुभावम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सु-श्लोक्यम्: highly praiseworthy
• सु-श्लोक्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + श्लोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya; 'well-praiseworthy'), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); विशेषण (qualifying अनुभावम्)

• पश्चात्: later
• पश्चात्: सम्बन्ध (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: later)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अभिधास्यते: will be described
• अभिधास्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

Characters & Entities

• Aśanā
• Bāṇa

FAQs

Who is Bāṇa mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 6.18.17?

This verse identifies Bāṇa as the eldest among one hundred sons born from Aśanā (the personified Hunger), and notes that his lineage’s exploits are described later.

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Aśanā (Hunger) in this verse?

It states that Aśanā is the progenitor of a hundred sons, indicating a personified principle through whom a particular line of beings is generated.

What is a practical takeaway from this shloka for modern life?

The verse reminds readers that actions and qualities (even personified forces like “hunger”) produce outcomes and lineages—encouraging mindful regulation of drives and cultivating sattvic tendencies for better results.