Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 19

The Vena Episode and the Sukalā Narrative: The Speaking Sow, Pulastya’s Curse, and Indra’s Appeal

Devanagari script

तमाश्रित्य गिरिश्रेष्ठं गीतमभ्यसते तदा । स्वरतालसमोपेतं सुस्वरं चारुहासिनि

Transliteration

tamāśritya giriśreṣṭhaṃ gītamabhyasate tadā | svaratālasamopetaṃ susvaraṃ cāruhāsini

Translation

于是她依止那最胜之山而习歌咏，音高与节拍具足，声调清美；啊，微笑姝丽者。

Word by Word

• तम्: that (mountain)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (गिरिश्रेष्ठं/मेरुं)

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• गिरिश्रेष्ठम्: the best mountain
• गिरिश्रेष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; गिरि + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तम्-विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन)

• गीतम्: song
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभ्यसते: practises
• अभ्यसते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अस्/अभ्यस् (धातु: अभ्यासे)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• स्वरतालसमोपेतम्: accompanied by notes and rhythm
• स्वरतालसमोपेतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर + ताल + समुपेत (प्रातिपदिक; सम्-उप-इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (गीतम्)

• सुस्वरम्: well-toned
• सुस्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुस्वर (प्रातिपदिक; सु + स्वर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (गीतम्)

• चारुहासिनि: O lovely-smiling one
• चारुहासिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारुहासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; चारु + हासिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Uncertain from single-verse context (likely a narrator addressing a female interlocutor, e.g., Mahādeva addressing Pārvatī, or a Purāṇic narrator addressing a lady).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तम् + आश्रित्य → तमाश्रित्य; गीतम् + अभ्यसते → गीतमभ्यसते; स्वर + ताल + समुपेतम् → स्वरतालसमोपेतम्

FAQs

What does this verse suggest about music (gīta) as a discipline?

It presents singing as a practiced art (abhyāsa) requiring structure—notes (svara) and rhythm (tāla)—implying disciplined cultivation rather than casual performance.

Why is a “foremost mountain” (giriśreṣṭha) mentioned here?

The phrase indicates a sacred or eminent setting that one “resorts to” (āśritya), suggesting that place and practice together support refinement and inner formation.

What is the ethical or devotional lesson implied by the verse?

The verse highlights steadiness and refinement: taking shelter in an elevating environment and practicing with order and harmony can lead to sweetness of expression and character.