Varaha Purana 17.4 — Adhyaya 17, Shloka 4

King Prajāpāla’s Visit to Sage Mahātapā’s Hermitage and the Doctrinal Praise of Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

आसीद् राजा महाबाहुरादौ कृतयुगे पुरा । श्रुतकीर्तिरिति ख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये बलवत्तरः ॥ १७.४ ॥

Transliteration

āsīd rājā mahābāhur ādau kṛtayuge purā | śrutakīrtir iti khyātas trailokye balavattaraḥ || 17.4 ||

Translation

في البدء، في عصر كِرتا-يوغا القديم، كان هناك ملكٌ عظيمُ الساعد، مشهورٌ باسم شروتاكيرتي، وهو الأقوى في العوالم الثلاثة.

Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बाहु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् बाहुः यस्य)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (at the beginning)

• कृतयुगे: in the Kṛta age
• कृतयुगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-युग (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + युग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृतं युगम्)

• पुरा: formerly, long ago
• पुरा: Kala (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• श्रुतकीर्तिः: Śrutakīrti (name)
• श्रुतकीर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत-कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; श्रुत + कीर्ति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

• इति: thus, called
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘राजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + लोक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (‘त्रयः लोकाः’ → ‘त्रैलोक्यम्’)

• बलवत्तरः: stronger, very powerful
• बलवत्तरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनाप्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"earth_interaction":"None (Varāha narrates past kingship in Kṛta-yuga)."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"attentive"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"yuga-dharma framing","core_concept":"Human capacities and social order vary by yuga; Kṛta-yuga is portrayed as an apex where exceptional strength and fame align with cosmic harmony.","practical_application":"Interpret historical claims in Purāṇas through yuga-context; emulate Kṛta-yuga ideals—truthfulness, restraint, and protection—within one’s current conditions."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Cosmology","Historical Narrative","Kingship"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mythic time-frame

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 17.17.5 (his son’s naming and succession)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A primordial-age king Śrutakīrti is depicted as mighty-armed and unrivaled across the three worlds, set against a timeless Kṛta-yuga aura.","item_prompts":["heroic king with broad arms (mahābāhu)","three-world emblem (three-tier cosmos)","ancient royal regalia","banner reading ‘Śrutakīrti’"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: frontal heroic king with exaggerated arms, stylized three-world motif behind; saturated reds/greens and ornate jewelry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king on throne with gold embossing; three-world halo medallion; rich textiles and gem-like detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined portrait of the king with subtle musculature; cosmic backdrop softly painted; dignified stillness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: king in a palace terrace with symbolic three-tier landscape (earth, mid-sky, heaven) in the background."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"heroic-narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"firm, resonant, slightly elevated on ‘kṛtayuge’ and ‘trailokye’"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Mythic Historiography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It introduces a paradigmatic ruler placed in the Kṛta Yuga, a common Purāṇic strategy for framing exemplary kingship within an idealized primordial era.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it situates the narrative temporally (Kṛta Yuga) and cosmologically (the three worlds) rather than by place-name.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, the verse foregrounds ideal rulership—strength paired with renown—serving as a narrative setup for later moral or dharmic exemplification rather than stating a direct injunction.