Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अनुयाने ऽसमर्थान्या नितम्बभरमन्थरा या गन्तव्ये द्रुतं याति निम्नपादाग्रसंस्थितिः

Transliteration

anuyāne 'samarthānyā nitambabharamantharā yā gantavye drutaṃ yāti nimnapādāgrasaṃsthitiḥ

Translation

她本不堪久行，因臀胯之重而步履迟缓；然而一旦必须抵达目的地，便疾行如风——落步时将脚前部压得更低。

Word by Word

• अनुयाने: in following (in pursuit)
• अनुयाने: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुयान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative)

• असमर्था: unable
• असमर्था: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ; विशेषण

• अन्या: the other one (she)
• अन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'सा' इत्यर्थे

• नितम्बभरमन्थरा: slow due to the weight of her hips
• नितम्बभरमन्थरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नितम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + भर (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्थर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नितम्बस्य भरः; तेन मन्थरा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• या: who
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• गन्तव्ये: when/where one must go (at the destination to be reached)
• गन्तव्ये: Adhikarana (Goal-context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'to be gone to'—गन्तव्य-स्थाने

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग; क्रियाविशेषण (manner)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निम्नपादाग्रसंस्थितिः: (having) a stance with the front of the foot set low
• निम्नपादाग्रसंस्थितिः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्न (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; हेतु/लक्षणवाचक—(निम्ने पादाग्रे संस्थितिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

FAQs

What is the significance of descriptive passages like this in the Vishnu Purana?

They function as narrative characterization within dynastic episodes, helping identify persons and scenes in the lineage stories rather than presenting direct cosmological doctrine.

How does Sage Parāśara explain events in the Vishnu Purana’s dynasty sections?

He narrates genealogies and associated episodes to Maitreya, frequently pausing for vivid scene-setting and character description to make lineage narratives intelligible and memorable.

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

Even when a verse is primarily descriptive, it sits within a Purāṇic framework where dynastic history unfolds under Vishnu’s sovereign order—history and character are narrated as part of dharma sustained by the Supreme.