राम

Harivaṃśa-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 20

48 versesThe Birth of Soma

Synopsis

The Soma-vaṃśa proper opens. Soma's father is Atri the ṛṣi; Soma himself is born of Atri's own radiance after long tapas. The chapter describes his austerity in painful detail: motionless as wood or stone, arms upraised, shining with light. Attending at his sacred assembly are Lord Hari-Nārāyaṇa himself, surrounded by the primal brahmarṣis with Sanatkumāra at their head. The chapter closes with a phala-śruti: merely hearing the birth of Soma brings wealth, long life, health, merit, and the fulfillment of resolve; all sins are loosed.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

पिता सोमस्य वै राजञ् जज्ञे ऽत्रिर् भगवान् ऋषिः अथातः श्रूयतां राजन् वंशः सोमस्य पावनः यस्मिन्न् ऐलादयो भूपाः कीर्त्यन्ते पुण्यकीर्तयः यत्र जातो हरिः साक्षात् कृष्णस् त्रैलोक्यपावनः सहस्रशिरसः पुंसो नाभिह्रदसरोरुहात् जातस्यासीत् सुतो धातुर् अत्रिः पितृसमो गुणैः ब्रह्मणो मानसात् पूर्वं प्रजासर्गं विधित्सतः तत्रात्रिः सर्वलोकानां तस्थौ स्वविनयैर् वृतः कर्मणा मनसा वाचा शुभान्य् एव चचार ह

pitā somasya vai rājañ jajñe 'trir bhagavān ṛṣiḥ athātaḥ śrūyatāṃ rājan vaṃśaḥ somasya pāvanaḥ yasminn ailādayo bhūpāḥ kīrtyante puṇyakīrtayaḥ yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokyapāvanaḥ sahasraśirasaḥ puṃso nābhihradasaroruhāt jātasyāsīt suto dhātur atriḥ pitṛsamo guṇaiḥ brahmaṇo mānasāt pūrvaṃ prajāsargaṃ vidhitsataḥ tatrātriḥ sarvalokānāṃ tasthau svavinayair vṛtaḥ karmaṇā manasā vācā śubhāny eva cacāra ha

The father of Soma is the Lord-sage Atri. Now, O king, listen: Soma's purifying lineage — in which the Ailas and other kings of meritorious fame are celebrated, in which Hari was born.

Verse 2

अहिंस्रः सर्वभूतेषु धर्मात्मा संशितव्रतः काष्ठकुड्यशिलाभूत ऊर्ध्वबाहुर् महाद्युतिः

ahiṃsraḥ sarvabhūteṣu dharmātmā saṃśitavrataḥ kāṣṭhakuḍyaśilābhūta ūrdhvabāhur mahādyutiḥ

Verse 3

अनुत्तमं नाम तपो येन तप्तं महत् पुरा त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि दिव्यानीति हि नः श्रुतम्

anuttamaṃ nāma tapo yena taptaṃ mahat purā trīṇi varṣasahasrāṇi divyānīti hi naḥ śrutam

Verse 4

ततोर्ध्वरेतसस् तस्य स्थितस्यानिमिषस्य हि सोमत्वं तनुर् आपेदे महाबुद्धस्य भारत

tatordhvaretasas tasya sthitasyānimiṣasya hi somatvaṃ tanur āpede mahābuddhasya bhārata

Verse 5

ऊर्ध्वम् आचक्रमे तस्य सोमत्वं भावितात्मनः नेत्राभ्यां वारि सुस्राव दशधा द्योतयद् दिशः

ūrdhvam ācakrame tasya somatvaṃ bhāvitātmanaḥ netrābhyāṃ vāri susrāva daśadhā dyotayad diśaḥ

Verse 6

तं गर्भं दशधा दृष्ट्वा दश देव्यो दधुस् ततः समेत्य धारयाम् आसुर् न च ताः तम् अशक्नुवन्

taṃ garbhaṃ daśadhā dṛṣṭvā daśa devyo dadhus tataḥ sametya dhārayām āsur na ca tāḥ tam aśaknuvan

Verse 7

स ताभ्यः सहसैवाथ दिग्भ्यो गर्भः प्रभान्वितः पपात भासयंल् लोकाञ् शीतांशुः सर्वभावनः

sa tābhyaḥ sahasaivātha digbhyo garbhaḥ prabhānvitaḥ papāta bhāsayaṃl lokāñ śītāṃśuḥ sarvabhāvanaḥ

Verse 8

यदा न धारणे शक्तास् तस्य गर्भस्य ता दिशः ततस् ताभिः सहैवाशु निपतात वसुंधराम्

yadā na dhāraṇe śaktās tasya garbhasya tā diśaḥ tatas tābhiḥ sahaivāśu nipatāta vasuṃdharām

Verse 9

पतितं सोमम् आलोक्य ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः रथम् आरोपयाम् आस लोकानां हितकाम्यया

patitaṃ somam ālokya brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ ratham āropayām āsa lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā

Verse 10

स हि वेदमयस् तात धर्मात्मा सत्यसंगरः युक्तो वाजिसहस्रेण सितेनेति हि नः श्रुतम्

sa hi vedamayas tāta dharmātmā satyasaṃgaraḥ yukto vājisahasreṇa siteneti hi naḥ śrutam

Verse 11

तस्मिन् निपतिते देवाः पुत्रे ऽत्रेः परमात्मनि तुष्टुवुर् ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा मानसाः सप्त ये श्रुताः

tasmin nipatite devāḥ putre 'treḥ paramātmani tuṣṭuvur brahmaṇaḥ putrā mānasāḥ sapta ye śrutāḥ

Verse 12

तथैवाङ्गिरसस् तत्र भृगोर् एवात्मजैः सह ऋग्भिर् यजुर्भिः सामभिर् अथर्वाङ्गिरसैर् अपि

tathaivāṅgirasas tatra bhṛgor evātmajaiḥ saha ṛgbhir yajurbhiḥ sāmabhir atharvāṅgirasair api

Verse 13

तस्य संस्तूयमानस्य तेजः सोमस्य भास्वतः आप्यायमानं लोकांस् त्रीन् भावयाम् आस सर्वतः

tasya saṃstūyamānasya tejaḥ somasya bhāsvataḥ āpyāyamānaṃ lokāṃs trīn bhāvayām āsa sarvataḥ

Verse 14

स तेन रथमुख्येन सागरान्तां वसुंधराम् त्रिःसप्तकृत्वो ऽतियशाश् चकाराभिप्रदक्षिणाम्

sa tena rathamukhyena sāgarāntāṃ vasuṃdharām triḥsaptakṛtvo 'tiyaśāś cakārābhipradakṣiṇām

Verse 15

तस्य यच् च्यावितं तेजः पृथिवीम् अन्वपद्यत ओषध्यस् ताः समुद्भूतास् तेजसा प्रज्वलन्त्य् उत

tasya yac cyāvitaṃ tejaḥ pṛthivīm anvapadyata oṣadhyas tāḥ samudbhūtās tejasā prajvalanty uta

Verse 16

ताभिऋ धार्यो ह्य् अयं लोकः प्रजाश् चैव चतुर्विधाः पोष्टा हि भगवान् सोमो जगतो जगतीपते

tābhiṛ dhāryo hy ayaṃ lokaḥ prajāś caiva caturvidhāḥ poṣṭā hi bhagavān somo jagato jagatīpate

Verse 17

स लब्धतेजा भगवान् संस्तवैः स्वैश् च कर्मभिः तपस् तेपे महाभाग पद्मानां दशतीर् दश

sa labdhatejā bhagavān saṃstavaiḥ svaiś ca karmabhiḥ tapas tepe mahābhāga padmānāṃ daśatīr daśa

Verse 18

हिरण्यवर्णा या देव्यो धारयन्त्य् आत्मना जगत् निधिस् तासाम् अभूद् देवः प्रख्यातः स्वेन कर्मणा

hiraṇyavarṇā yā devyo dhārayanty ātmanā jagat nidhis tāsām abhūd devaḥ prakhyātaḥ svena karmaṇā

Verse 19

ततस् तस्मै ददौ राज्यं ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां वरः बीजौषधीनां विप्राणाम् अपां च जनमेजय

tatas tasmai dadau rājyaṃ brahmā brahmavidāṃ varaḥ bījauṣadhīnāṃ viprāṇām apāṃ ca janamejaya

Verse 20

सो ऽभिषिक्तो महातेजा राजराज्येन राजराट् त्रींल् लोकान् भावयाम् आस स्वभासा भास्वतां वरः

so 'bhiṣikto mahātejā rājarājyena rājarāṭ trīṃl lokān bhāvayām āsa svabhāsā bhāsvatāṃ varaḥ

Verse 21

सप्तविंशतिम् इन्दोस् तु दाक्षायण्यो महाव्रताः ददौ प्राचेतसो दक्षो नक्षत्राणीति या विदुः

saptaviṃśatim indos tu dākṣāyaṇyo mahāvratāḥ dadau prācetaso dakṣo nakṣatrāṇīti yā viduḥ

Verse 22

स तत् प्राप्य महद् राज्यं सोमः सोमवतां वरः समाजह्रे राजसूयं सहस्रशतदक्षिणम्

sa tat prāpya mahad rājyaṃ somaḥ somavatāṃ varaḥ samājahre rājasūyaṃ sahasraśatadakṣiṇam

Verse 23

होतास्य भगवान् अत्रिर् अध्वर्युर् भगवान् भृगुः हिरण्यगर्भश् चोद्गाता ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मात्वम् एयिवान्

hotāsya bhagavān atrir adhvaryur bhagavān bhṛguḥ hiraṇyagarbhaś codgātā brahmā brahmātvam eyivān

Verse 24

सदस्यस् तत्र भगवान् हरिर् नारायणः प्रभुः सनत्कुमारप्रमुखैर् आद्यैर् ब्रह्मर्षिभिर् वृतः

sadasyas tatra bhagavān harir nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ sanatkumārapramukhair ādyair brahmarṣibhir vṛtaḥ

Verse 25

दक्षिणाम् अददात् सोमस् त्रींल् लोकान् इति नः श्रुतम् तेभ्यो ब्रह्मर्षिमुख्येभ्यः सदस्येभ्यश् च भारत

dakṣiṇām adadāt somas trīṃl lokān iti naḥ śrutam tebhyo brahmarṣimukhyebhyaḥ sadasyebhyaś ca bhārata

Verse 26

सिनीवाली कुहूश् चैव द्युतिः पुष्टिः प्रभा वसुः कीर्तिर् धृतिश् च लक्ष्मीश् च नव देव्यः सिषेविरे

sinīvālī kuhūś caiva dyutiḥ puṣṭiḥ prabhā vasuḥ kīrtir dhṛtiś ca lakṣmīś ca nava devyaḥ siṣevire

Verse 27

प्राप्यावभृथम् अव्यग्रः सर्वदेवर्षिपूजितः तं मूर्ध्न्य् उपाघ्राय तदा सोमो धाता प्रजापतिः विरराजाति राजेन्द्रो दशधा भावयन् दिशः

prāpyāvabhṛtham avyagraḥ sarvadevarṣipūjitaḥ taṃ mūrdhny upāghrāya tadā somo dhātā prajāpatiḥ virarājāti rājendro daśadhā bhāvayan diśaḥ

Verse 28

तस्य तत् प्राप्य दुष्प्राप्यम् ऐश्वर्यं मुनिसत्कृतम् विबभ्राम मतिस् तात विनयाद् अनयाहृता

tasya tat prāpya duṣprāpyam aiśvaryaṃ munisatkṛtam vibabhrāma matis tāta vinayād anayāhṛtā

Verse 29

बृहस्पतेः स वै भार्यां तारां नाम यशस्विनीम् जहार तरसा सर्वान् अवमत्याङ्गिरःसुतान्

bṛhaspateḥ sa vai bhāryāṃ tārāṃ nāma yaśasvinīm jahāra tarasā sarvān avamatyāṅgiraḥsutān

Verse 30

स याच्यमानो देवैश् च तथा देवर्षिभिः सह नैव व्यसर्जयत् तारां तस्मा अङ्गिरसे तदा

sa yācyamāno devaiś ca tathā devarṣibhiḥ saha naiva vyasarjayat tārāṃ tasmā aṅgirase tadā

Verse 31

स संरब्धस् तदा तस्मिन् देवाचार्यो बृहस्पतिः उशना तस्य जग्राह पार्ष्णिम् अङ्गिरसस् तदा स हि शिष्यो महातेजाः पितुः पूर्वं बृहस्पतेः

sa saṃrabdhas tadā tasmin devācāryo bṛhaspatiḥ uśanā tasya jagrāha pārṣṇim aṅgirasas tadā sa hi śiṣyo mahātejāḥ pituḥ pūrvaṃ bṛhaspateḥ

Verse 32

तेन स्नेहेन भगवान् रुद्रस् तस्य बृहस्पतेः पार्ष्णिग्राहो ऽभवद् देवः प्रगृह्याजगवं धनुः

tena snehena bhagavān rudras tasya bṛhaspateḥ pārṣṇigrāho 'bhavad devaḥ pragṛhyājagavaṃ dhanuḥ

Verse 33

तेन ब्रह्मशिरो नाम परमास्त्रं महात्मना उद्दिश्य देवान् उत्सृष्टं येनैषां नाशितं यशः

tena brahmaśiro nāma paramāstraṃ mahātmanā uddiśya devān utsṛṣṭaṃ yenaiṣāṃ nāśitaṃ yaśaḥ

Verse 34

तत्र तद् युद्धम् अभवत् प्रख्यातं तारकामयम् देवानां दानवानां च लोकक्षयकरं महत्

tatra tad yuddham abhavat prakhyātaṃ tārakāmayam devānāṃ dānavānāṃ ca lokakṣayakaraṃ mahat

Verse 35

तत्र शिष्टास् तु ये देवास् तुषिताश् चैव ये भारत ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुर् आदिदेवं पितामहम्

tatra śiṣṭās tu ye devās tuṣitāś caiva ye bhārata brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmur ādidevaṃ pitāmaham

Verse 36

ततो निवार्योशनसं तं वै रुद्रं च शंकरम् ददाव् अङ्गिरसे तारां स्वयम् एव पितामहः

tato nivāryośanasaṃ taṃ vai rudraṃ ca śaṃkaram dadāv aṅgirase tārāṃ svayam eva pitāmahaḥ

Verse 37

ताम् अन्तःप्रसवां दृष्ट्वा विप्रः प्राह बृहस्पतिः मदीयायां न ते योनौ गर्भो धार्यः कथं चन

tām antaḥprasavāṃ dṛṣṭvā vipraḥ prāha bṛhaspatiḥ madīyāyāṃ na te yonau garbho dhāryaḥ kathaṃ cana

Verse 38

सत्यं कथय मे सुभ्रु कस्य गर्भस् तवोदरे त्यज त्यजाशु दुर्बुद्धे मत्क्षेत्राद् आहितं परैः नाहं त्वां भस्मसात् कुर्यां स्त्रियं सांतानिके सति श्रुत्वा बृहस्पतेर् वाक्यं रोषेण व्याकुलाभवत् अयोनाव् असृजत्तं तु कुमारं दस्युहन्तमम् इषीकास्तम्बम् आसाद्य ज्वलन्तम् इव पावकम्

satyaṃ kathaya me subhru kasya garbhas tavodare tyaja tyajāśu durbuddhe matkṣetrād āhitaṃ paraiḥ nāhaṃ tvāṃ bhasmasāt kuryāṃ striyaṃ sāṃtānike sati śrutvā bṛhaspater vākyaṃ roṣeṇa vyākulābhavat ayonāv asṛjattaṃ tu kumāraṃ dasyuhantamam iṣīkāstambam āsādya jvalantam iva pāvakam

Verse 39

जातमात्रः स भगवान् देवानाम् आक्षिपद् वपुः ततः संशयम् आपन्नास् ताराम् अकथयन् सुराः

jātamātraḥ sa bhagavān devānām ākṣipad vapuḥ tataḥ saṃśayam āpannās tārām akathayan surāḥ

Verse 40

सत्यं ब्रूहि सुतः कस्य सोमस्याथ बृहस्पतेः पृच्छ्यमाना यदा देवैर् नाह सा साध्व् असाधु वा कुमारो मातरं प्राह कुपितो ऽलीकलज्जया किं न वोचस्य् असद्वृत्ते आत्मावद्यं वदाशु मे तदा तां शप्तुम् आरब्धः कुमारो दस्युहन्तमः

satyaṃ brūhi sutaḥ kasya somasyātha bṛhaspateḥ pṛcchyamānā yadā devair nāha sā sādhv asādhu vā kumāro mātaraṃ prāha kupito 'līkalajjayā kiṃ na vocasy asadvṛtte ātmāvadyaṃ vadāśu me tadā tāṃ śaptum ārabdhaḥ kumāro dasyuhantamaḥ

Verse 41

तं निवार्य ततो ब्रह्मा तारां पप्रच्छ संशयम् यद् अत्र तथ्यं तद् ब्रूहि तारे कस्य सुतो ह्य् अयम्

taṃ nivārya tato brahmā tārāṃ papraccha saṃśayam yad atra tathyaṃ tad brūhi tāre kasya suto hy ayam

Verse 42

सा प्राञ्जलिर् उवाचेदं ब्रह्माणं वरदं प्रभुम् सोमस्येति महात्मानं कुमारं दस्युहन्तमम्

sā prāñjalir uvācedaṃ brahmāṇaṃ varadaṃ prabhum somasyeti mahātmānaṃ kumāraṃ dasyuhantamam

Verse 43

तं मूर्ध्न्य् उपाघ्राय तदा सोमो धाता प्रजापतिः बुध इत्य् अकरोन् नाम तस्य पुत्रस्य धीमतः प्रतिकूलं च गगने समभ्युत्तिष्ठते बुधः

taṃ mūrdhny upāghrāya tadā somo dhātā prajāpatiḥ budha ity akaron nāma tasya putrasya dhīmataḥ pratikūlaṃ ca gagane samabhyuttiṣṭhate budhaḥ

Verse 44

उत्पादयाम् आस तदा पुत्रं वै राजपुत्रिका तस्यापत्यं महाराजो बभूवैलः पुरूरवाः उर्वश्यां जज्ञिरे यस्य पुत्राः सप्त महात्मनः

utpādayām āsa tadā putraṃ vai rājaputrikā tasyāpatyaṃ mahārājo babhūvailaḥ purūravāḥ urvaśyāṃ jajñire yasya putrāḥ sapta mahātmanaḥ

Verse 45

प्रसह्य धर्षितस् तत्र विवशो राजयक्ष्मणा ततो यक्ष्माभिभूतस् तु सोमः प्रक्षीणमण्डः जगाम शरणायाथ पितरं सो ऽत्रिम् एव च

prasahya dharṣitas tatra vivaśo rājayakṣmaṇā tato yakṣmābhibhūtas tu somaḥ prakṣīṇamaṇḍaḥ jagāma śaraṇāyātha pitaraṃ so 'trim eva ca

Verse 46

तस्य तत् पापशमनं चकारात्रिर् महायशाः स राजयक्ष्मणा मुक्तः श्रिया जज्वाल सर्वशः

tasya tat pāpaśamanaṃ cakārātrir mahāyaśāḥ sa rājayakṣmaṇā muktaḥ śriyā jajvāla sarvaśaḥ

Verse 47

एतत् सोमस्य ते जन्म कीर्तितं कीर्तिवर्धनम् वंशम् अस्य महाराज कीर्त्यमानम् अतः शृणु

etat somasya te janma kīrtitaṃ kīrtivardhanam vaṃśam asya mahārāja kīrtyamānam ataḥ śṛṇu

Verse 48

धन्यम् आयुष्यम् आरोग्यं पुण्यं संकल्पसाधकम् सोमस्य जन्म श्रुत्वैव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

dhanyam āyuṣyam ārogyaṃ puṇyaṃ saṃkalpasādhakam somasya janma śrutvaiva sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Blessed, life-giving, health-giving, meritorious, thought-accomplishing. Hearing only Soma's birth, one is released from all sins.

Verse commentary

The Soma-Candra Lineage and the Tārā Episode

सोमवंशप्रारम्भः तारोपाख्यानं च

Verses 1, 3, 5, 15, 20, 30, 40: Atri as Soma's father and the Candra-vaṃśa that produces Kṛṣṇa, Atri's three-thousand-year divya-tapas, Soma arising from Atri's eyes and illuminating the ten directions, Soma's fallen tejas becoming the oṣadhis, Soma consecrated as king by the best of beings, Soma's refusal to release Tārā (Bṛhaspati's wife) despite the devas' petition, and Budha (Soma-Tārā's son) confronting his mother with the demand for truth. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 20 begins the *Candra-vaṃśa* (Soma-lineage), the Lunar dynasty that will produce Purūravas, Yayāti, the Yādavas, and ultimately Kṛṣṇa. The chapter opens with Atri as Soma's father and closes with the Tārā-episode — Soma's taking of Bṛhaspati's wife Tārā, the war that follows, and Budha's birth. The Harivaṃśa's opening verse of the chapter is remarkable: *yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokya-pāvanaḥ* — 'in which [line] Hari Kṛṣṇa himself, the three-world-purifier, was born'. The Soma-Candra-vaṃśa is explicitly named as the dynasty of Kṛṣṇa's birth. The chapter is structured around two lessons: the *tapas* that creates the Moon's light, and the *vāsanā* that mars even a god's kingship.

HV 20.1

पिता सोमस्य वै राजञ् जज्ञे ऽत्रिर् भगवान् ऋषिः । अथातः श्रूयतां राजन् वंशः सोमस्य पावनः । यस्मिन्न् ऐलादयो भूपाः कीर्त्यन्ते पुण्यकीर्तयः । यत्र जातो हरिः साक्षात् कृष्णस् त्रैलोक्यपावनः ॥

pitā somasya vai rājañ jajñe 'trir bhagavān ṛṣiḥ | athātaḥ śrūyatāṃ rājan vaṃśaḥ somasya pāvanaḥ | yasminn ailādayo bhūpāḥ kīrtyante puṇya-kīrtayaḥ | yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokya-pāvanaḥ

'Atri the blessed ṛṣi was born as Soma's father, O king. Now then hear the purifying lineage of Soma, O king — in which the kings headed by Aila are celebrated, pure-of-fame; in which Hari himself, Kṛṣṇa the three-world-purifier, was born.'

The Living Words

*Pitā somasya atriḥ*, 'Atri is Soma's father'. *Vaṃśaḥ somasya pāvanaḥ*, 'the purifying lineage of Soma'. *Yasminn ailādayo bhūpāḥ*, 'in which the kings beginning with Aila (Purūravas)'. *Yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇaḥ trailokya-pāvanaḥ*, 'in which Hari Kṛṣṇa himself, three-world-purifier, was born'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's most direct announcement of the Candra-vaṃśa's purpose. *Yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokya-pāvanaḥ* — 'in which Kṛṣṇa, the three-world-purifier, was born'. The Varkari tradition's deep joy: the whole long Candra-vaṃśa chapter-sequence has, at its apex, the purpose of bringing Kṛṣṇa into the world. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's love of this verse: every dynasty's purpose is to prepare the ground for the Name's incarnation. The Candra-vaṃśa is *pāvana* because it is *Kṛṣṇa-janma-bhūmi* (the birth-ground of Kṛṣṇa).

HV 20.3

अनुत्तमं नाम तपो येन तप्तं महत् पुरा । त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि दिव्यानीति हि नः श्रुतम् ॥

anuttamaṃ nāma tapo yena taptaṃ mahat purā | trīṇi varṣa-sahasrāṇi divyānīti hi naḥ śrutam

'Unsurpassed indeed was the tapas he performed of old — for three thousand divine years, so it is heard by us.'

The Living Words

*Anuttamaṃ tapaḥ*, 'unsurpassed tapas'. *Yena taptam*, 'by whom performed'. *Trīṇi varṣa-sahasrāṇi divyāni*, 'three thousand divine years'. *Iti naḥ śrutam*, 'so is heard by us'.

The Heart of It

The verse names Atri's tapas. *Trīṇi varṣa-sahasrāṇi divyāni* — 'three thousand divine years' — matches Dhruva's (HV 2.10). The Varkari tradition's attention to the repeated number: *triṇi varṣa-sahasrāṇi* is the Sanskrit unit of divinity-generating tapas. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's acknowledgment of classical tapas-lengths — that some attainments require thousand-year discipline — has HV 20.3 as its Sanskrit warrant. And *iti naḥ śrutam* — 'so it is heard by us' — names the *śruti*-transmission: we hear it, we do not see it directly.

HV 20.5

ऊर्ध्वम् आचक्रमे तस्य सोमत्वं भावितात्मनः । नेत्राभ्यां वारि सुस्राव दशधा द्योतयद् दिशः ॥

ūrdhvam ācakrame tasya somatvaṃ bhāvitātmanaḥ | netrābhyāṃ vāri susrāva daśadhā dyotayad diśaḥ

Upward moved his becoming-Soma — of the self-purified; from his eyes flowed water in ten-fold, illuminating the directions.

The Living Words

*Ūrdhvam ācakrame somatvaṃ*, 'upward moved [his] becoming-Soma'. *Bhāvitātmanaḥ*, 'of the self-purified'. *Netrābhyāṃ vāri susrāva*, 'from his eyes water flowed'. *Daśadhā dyotayad diśaḥ*, 'illuminating the directions in ten-fold'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's origin-image of the Moon. *Netrābhyāṃ vāri susrāva daśadhā dyotayad diśaḥ* — 'from his eyes flowed water, illuminating the ten directions'. The Varkari tradition's lyrical reading: the Moon — Soma — is literally the *aśru*, tears-of-Atri's-tapas made cosmic light. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's image of the bhakta's tears producing light — *aśru-prakāśa* — has HV 20.5 as its cosmological source. Every time the moon shines, Atri's three-thousand-year tapas is illuminating the sky.

HV 20.15

तस्य यच् च्यावितं तेजः पृथिवीम् अन्वपद्यत । ओषध्यस् ताः समुद्भूतास् तेजसा प्रज्वलन्त्य् उत ॥

tasya yac cyāvitaṃ tejaḥ pṛthivīm anvapadyata | oṣadhyas tāḥ samud-bhūtās tejasā prajvalanty uta

That tejas of his which was scattered fell upon the earth — those herbs sprang up, blazing with [that] tejas.

The Living Words

*Cyāvitaṃ tejaḥ*, 'scattered tejas'. *Pṛthivīm anvapadyata*, 'fell upon the earth'. *Oṣadhyaḥ samud-bhūtāḥ*, 'herbs sprang up'. *Tejasā prajvalanty uta*, 'blazing with [that] tejas'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's botanical-cosmology. *Oṣadhyaḥ samud-bhūtāḥ tejasā prajvalanti* — 'herbs sprang up, blazing with [that] tejas'. The Varkari tradition's sacred-botany teaching: the herbs we eat, the plants we use medicinally, carry the *Moon's tejas* — more specifically, Atri's tapas reaching earth via the Moon. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's reverence for *oṣadhi* (medicinal herbs) as sacred substances, inheriting ancestral tapas, has HV 20.15 as its Sanskrit origin. Plants are the Moon's earth-children.

HV 20.20

सो ऽभिषिक्तो महातेजा राजराज्येन राजराट् । त्रींल् लोकान् भावयाम् आस स्वभासा भास्वतां वरः ॥

so 'bhiṣikto mahā-tejā rāja-rājyena rāja-rāṭ | trīṃl lokān bhāvayām āsa sva-bhāsā bhāsvatāṃ varaḥ

He, the great-splendor, consecrated as king-of-kings by rāja-rājya-consecration — brought the three worlds into being by his own light, best of the luminous.

The Living Words

*Abhiṣiktaḥ mahā-tejāḥ*, 'consecrated, great-splendor'. *Rāja-rājyena rāja-rāṭ*, 'king-of-kings by king-consecration'. *Trīṃl lokān bhāvayām āsa*, 'brought the three worlds into being'. *Sva-bhāsā*, 'by his own light'. *Bhāsvatāṃ varaḥ*, 'best of the luminous'.

The Heart of It

The verse names Soma's consecration. *Sva-bhāsā bhāvayām āsa trīṃl lokān* — 'by his own light he brought the three worlds into being'. The Varkari tradition's attention: Soma's kingship is measured not by command but by *bhāvanā*, the *bringing-into-being* of the three worlds. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that the true ruler *bhāvayati* (animates, brings-into-full-being) his subjects rather than merely commanding them — has HV 20.20 as its Sanskrit model. Kingship is illumination.

HV 20.30

स याच्यमानो देवैश् च तथा देवर्षिभिः सह । नैव व्यसर्जयत् तारां तस्मा अङ्गिरसे तदा ॥

sa yācyamāno devaiś ca tathā devarṣibhiḥ saha | naiva vyasarjayat tārāṃ tasmā aṅgirase tadā

He, petitioned by the devas and devarṣis together, never relinquished Tārā to that Āṅgirasa [Bṛhaspati].

The Living Words

*Yācyamānaḥ devaiḥ devarṣibhiḥ*, 'petitioned by devas and devarṣis'. *Naiva vyasarjayat tārām*, 'did not release Tārā'. *Tasmā aṅgirase*, 'to that Āṅgirasa (Bṛhaspati)'.

The Heart of It

The verse names Soma's specific failure. *Naiva vyasarjayat tārām* — 'did not release Tārā'. The Varkari tradition's sober reading: even the consecrated king, the *bhāsvatāṃ varaḥ* of verse 20, can fall into *kāma-graha*, desire-grip. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's honest teaching that *abhiṣeka* does not immunize against *kāma* — that kingship, even a lunar kingship, must guard itself against *para-strī-saṃgraha* — has HV 20.30 as its Sanskrit warning. Soma's great tapas-inheritance is risked here. The Candra-vaṃśa's dark seed is planted.

HV 20.40

सत्यं ब्रूहि सुतः कस्य सोमस्याथ बृहस्पतेः । पृच्छ्यमाना यदा देवैर् नाह सा साध्व् असाधु वा ॥ कुमारो मातरं प्राह कुपितो ऽलीकलज्जया । किं न वोचस्य् असद्वृत्ते आत्मावद्यं वदाशु मे ॥

satyaṃ brūhi sutaḥ kasya somasyātha bṛhaspateḥ | pṛcchyamānā yadā devair nāha sā sādhv asādhu vā | kumāro mātaraṃ prāha kupito 'līka-lajjayā | kiṃ na vocasy asad-vṛtte ātmāvadyaṃ vadāśu me

'Speak the truth: whose son [is this] — Soma's or Bṛhaspati's?' When questioned by the devas, she said neither good nor bad. The boy angrily spoke to his mother — at her false-shame: 'Why do you not speak, ill-conducted? Tell me, quickly, my own blame [origin].'

The Living Words

*Satyaṃ brūhi sutaḥ kasya*, 'speak the truth, whose son?'. *Pṛcchyamānā nāha*, 'questioned, she did not say'. *Sādhu asādhu vā*, 'neither good nor bad'. *Kumāro mātaraṃ prāha kupitaḥ*, 'the boy angrily spoke to his mother'. *Alīka-lajjayā*, 'with false-shame'. *Ātmāvadyaṃ vadāśu me*, 'tell me, quickly, my own blame'.

The Heart of It

The verse is Budha's astonishing confrontation of his mother. *Ātmāvadyaṃ vadāśu me* — 'tell me, quickly, my own blame/origin'. The Varkari tradition's attention to this uncomfortable moment: the son, knowing his mother's silence is *alīka-lajjā* (false shame), demands *satya*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's conviction that a true-origin-seeking child is entitled to the *satya* of his parentage — that *alīka-lajjā* cannot be sustained against the son's demand — has HV 20.40 as its Sanskrit moment. Budha, the future founder of the Lunar dynasty, insists on truth as his first demand.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's arc: Atri as Soma's father and Kṛṣṇa's dynasty-source (20.1), Atri's three-thousand-divya-year tapas (20.3), Soma arising from Atri's tears as moonlight (20.5), the Moon's fallen tejas becoming oṣadhis (20.15), Soma consecrated as illuminating king (20.20), Soma's refusal to release Tārā (20.30), and Budha demanding the truth of his parentage (20.40). The Harivaṃśa's Candra-vaṃśa opening, with its pure tapas-origin and its kāma-shadow.

Echo in the saints

HV 20.1's *yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokya-pāvanaḥ* is cited by Warkari commentators as the scripture's announcement that the entire long Candra-vaṃśa is *Kṛṣṇa-janma-bhūmi* — the birth-ground of Kṛṣṇa. Everything else in the dynasty is preparation. And HV 20.15's teaching that oṣadhis are the Moon's tejas fallen to earth has been read by Warkari physicians as the scriptural ground of *oṣadhi-praṇāma*: the bhakta bows to medicinal plants because they carry Atri-Soma's tapas. The moon in the sky, the herbs in the hand, and the lineage ending in Kṛṣṇa — all are one tapas-stream.

Scripture references

DirectHarivaṃśa 20.1 (self-reference)

Kṛṣṇa is born in the Soma-Candra-vaṃśa.

अथातः श्रूयतां राजन् वंशः सोमस्य पावनः । यत्र जातो हरिः साक्षात् कृष्णस् त्रैलोक्यपावनः ॥

athātaḥ śrūyatāṃ rājan vaṃśaḥ somasya pāvanaḥ | yatra jāto hariḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇas trailokya-pāvanaḥ

Now then, O king, hear the purifying lineage of Soma, in which Hari, Kṛṣṇa himself, the three-world-purifier, was born.

HV 20.1 names, at the very start of the Candra-vaṃśa narrative, the purpose of the entire lineage: Kṛṣṇa's birth. The Warkari tradition reads this verse as the scripture's signpost: all that follows in HV 20–40 is preparation for the Kṛṣṇa of HV 46 onwards.

BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.