Shloka 91

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

हे हर्यश्वा महावीर्याः प्रजा यूयं करिष्यथ ईदृशो लक्ष्यते यत्नो भवतां श्रूयताम् इदम्

Transliteration

he haryaśvā mahāvīryāḥ prajā yūyaṃ kariṣyatha īdṛśo lakṣyate yatno bhavatāṃ śrūyatām idam

Translation

噢哈利亚什瓦诸子，具大威力者：你们确将繁衍后裔；然你们用功之法已显明，故当聆听此教诲。

Word by Word

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• हर्यश्वाः: the Haryaśvas
• हर्यश्वाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्यश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• महावीर्याः: of great prowess
• महावीर्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (हर्यश्वाः)

• प्रजाः: creatures; progeny
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• करिष्यथ: you will make/produce
• करिष्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ईदृशः: such; of this kind
• ईदृशः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (यत्नः)

• लक्ष्यते: is seen/observed
• लक्ष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवताम्: of you (respected)
• भवताम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard; listen
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); आज्ञार्थ

• इदम्: this (statement)
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here: प्रथमा (subject of श्रूयताम्)

Speaker

Prajāpati Dakṣa (addressing the Haryaśvas)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Account of Dakṣa’s progeny and the fate of the Haryaśvas

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Effective responsibility (prajā-karaṇa / prajā-pālana) requires right knowledge and disciplined effort, not mere zeal.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before taking on leadership or duty, seek correct understanding of the domain and consequences through study and counsel.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is meaningful as service within Bhagavān’s ordered world (jagat as His body), so action must align with true knowledge of that order.

Characters & Entities

• Haryaśvas
• Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• Prajā (progeny)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Haryaśvas in the Vishnu Purana?

They represent a generation tasked with progeny-creation, illustrating how cosmic population (prajā-sarga) proceeds through appointed beings under higher instruction rather than mere impulse.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the idea of ‘effort’ (yatna) in creation?

This verse emphasizes that effort is observable and must be directed—creation is not random, but guided by counsel and alignment with the intended cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the creation narrative operates within Vishnu’s overarching sovereignty in the Purana—progeny and order unfold through regulated roles within the Supreme’s cosmic governance.