Varaha Purana 39.10: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 10

Discrimination of the Three Bodies and the Dharaṇī Vow: A Manual for Dvādaśī Observance

Devanagari script

दुर्वासा उवाच । कर्मकाण्डं ज्ञानमूलं ज्ञानं कर्मादिकं तथा । एतयोरन्तरं नास्ति यथाश्ममृदयोर्मुने ॥ ३९.१० ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 39.10

Transliteration

durvāsā uvāca | karmakāṇḍaṁ jñānamūlaṁ jñānaṁ karmādikaṁ tathā | etayor antaraṁ nāsti yathāśmamṛdayor mune || 39.10 ||

Translation

قال دورفاسا: «إن قسم الأعمال الطقسية (كارما-كاندا) أساسه المعرفة، والمعرفة كذلك تبتدئ بالفعل. وليس بينهما فاصلٌ حقيقي، أيها الحكيم، كما (الفرق) بين الحجر والطين.»

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Word by Word

• durvāsāḥ: Durvāsā
• durvāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durvāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (speaker name)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• karma-kāṇḍam: the ritual section (of Veda)
• karma-kāṇḍam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (section of rites)

• jñāna-mūlam: rooted in knowledge
• jñāna-mūlam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण (qualifies karmakāṇḍam)

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• karma-ādikam: having action etc. as its beginning/including action
• karma-ādikam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'beginning with action' विशेषण (qualifies jñānam)

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/क्रियाविशेषण (thus/also)

• etayoḥ: of these two
• etayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (genitive dual: of these two)

• antaram: difference/gap
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• aśma-mṛdayoḥ: of stone and clay
• aśma-mṛdayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśman (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (stone and clay)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Durvāsā

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Dharmaśāstra Discourse
• Sanskrit Philosophy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic and śāstric strategy of reconciling ritual action (karma) with liberating knowledge (jñāna), presenting them as mutually supportive rather than rival disciplines.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; the imagery is comparative (stone and clay) rather than topographical.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse advances a philosophical instruction that disciplined action and knowledge are not fundamentally separate, encouraging a holistic approach to dharma that integrates practice with understanding.