Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 86

Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits

Devanagari script

विष्णुं च शंकरं चैव ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच सादरम् । पृथिव्याः सर्वतीर्थेषु भवंतौ पूज्यसत्तमौ

Transliteration

viṣṇuṃ ca śaṃkaraṃ caiva brahmā provāca sādaram | pṛthivyāḥ sarvatīrtheṣu bhavaṃtau pūjyasattamau

Translation

Brahmā kính cẩn thưa với Viṣṇu và Śaṅkara: “Trong mọi thánh địa tīrtha trên cõi đất, hai Ngài là bậc tối tôn và đáng được tôn thờ nhất.”

Word by Word

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

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

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सादरम्: respectfully/with reverence
• सादरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (adverbial accusative); Adverbial accusative: “with respect”

• पृथिव्याः: of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• सर्वतीर्थेषु: in all sacred places
• सर्वतीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; Compound: कर्मधारय “all (kinds of) tīrthas”; Neuter, Locative (7th), Plural

• भवंतौ: you two (honorific)
• भवंतौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Dual

• पूज्यसत्तमौ: most worthy of worship, best of the good
• पूज्यसत्तमौ: Karta-predicative (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; पूज् धातोः यत्/ण्यत्) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः “पूज्यश्च सत्तमश्च”; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; superlative nuance via सत्तम

Speaker

Brahmā

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव; प्रोवाच = प्र + उवाच (वच्-धातोः लिट्); सर्वतीर्थेषु = सर्व + तीर्थेषु; पूज्यसत्तमौ = पूज्य + सत्तमौ

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Tīrtha (sacred pilgrimage places)

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred Tīrthas?

It presents a pan-Indian (earth-wide) view of tīrthas, implying that across all pilgrimage sites, the highest objects of reverence remain the supreme deities—here explicitly Viṣṇu and Śaṅkara—regardless of local shrine traditions.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By declaring Viṣṇu and Śaṅkara as universally “most worthy of worship,” the verse frames devotion (pūjā/bhakti) as the central religious act that sanctifies all tīrthas, focusing the pilgrim’s attention on heartfelt reverence rather than mere travel.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

Respectful speech and reverence for the divine are modeled by Brahmā’s “sādaram” address, teaching humility and honor in religious discourse, and encouraging harmony (not rivalry) in honoring major deities.