Varaha Purana 39.22: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

सा भूतधारिणी देवी रसातलगता शुभा । आराधयामास विभुं देवं नारायणं परम् । उपवासव्रतैर्देवी नियमैश्च पृथग्विधैः ॥ ३९.२२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 39.22

Transliteration

sā bhūtadhāriṇī devī rasātala-gatā śubhā | ārādhayāmāsa vibhuṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ param | upavāsa-vratair devī niyamaiś ca pṛthag-vidhaiḥ || 39.22 ||

Translation

تلك الإلهةُ المباركةُ، حاملةُ الكائنات، لمّا بلغتْ رَساطَلا، عَبَدَتِ الربَّ الشاملَ لكلِّ شيء، الإلهَ الأعلى نارايَنا، بعهودِ الصيام وبشتى ضروبِ الانضباطات (نيياما).

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Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूतधारिणी: supporter of beings
• भूतधारिणी: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूतान् धारयति इति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• रसातलगता: gone to Rasātala
• रसातलगता: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रसातल + गता (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रसातलं गता), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• आराधयामास: worshipped; propitiated
• आराधयामास: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√राध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपवासव्रतैः: by fasts and vows
• उपवासव्रतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (उपवासाश्च व्रतानि च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter; collective), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; reiteration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियमैः: by observances; disciplines
• नियमैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of नियमैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथग् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पृथग्-विधाः = नानाविधाः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework; explicit speaker not marked in this fragment)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Purāṇic Cosmography
• Ritual Observance

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic model of disciplined devotion (upavāsa, vrata, niyama) embedded within cosmographic narrative, illustrating how ethical-ritual practice is framed alongside descriptions of the layered universe (e.g., Rasātala).

Which geographic location is identified?

Rasātala is not a terrestrial site but a cosmological region (a netherworld level) in Purāṇic cosmography; it is generally treated by scholars as a mythic-structural “underworld” rather than a single mappable historical location.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined self-regulation—fasting-vows and varied observances—as a means of focused devotion and moral cultivation, presented in a neutral narrative register.