Varaha Purana 8.2: Adhyaya 8, Shloka 2

Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices

Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna

Devanagari script

एकैकं स्वकुटुम्बार्थे हत्वा वनचरं मृगम् । भृत्यातिथिहुताशानां प्रीणनं कुरुते सदा ॥ ८.२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 8.2

Transliteration

ekaikaṁ svakuṭumbārthe hatvā vanacaraṁ mṛgam | bhṛtyātithihutāśānāṁ prīṇanaṁ kurute sadā || 8.2 ||

Translation

وبعد أن يقتل، لأجل مصلحة بيته، حيوانًا بريًّا واحدًا من سكان الغابة، يداوم على إرضاء من يعولهم والضيوف ونار القربان على الوجه اللائق.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• एक-एकम्: one each / one by one
• एक-एकम्: Karma (कर्म—परिमाण/वितरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular used adverbially (‘one by one/each single’); dvandva-like repetition (इतरेतर/पुनरुक्ति-समास)

• स्व-कुटुम्ब-अर्थे: for his family’s sake
• स्व-कुटुम्ब-अर्थे: Prayojana/Adhikarana (प्रयोजन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कुटुम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘for the sake of (his) own family’ (अर्थे = ‘for the purpose of’)

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया—पूर्वकालनिर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having killed’

• वन-चरम्: forest-dwelling
• वन-चरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘forest-roaming’ qualifying mṛgam

• मृगम्: deer/animal
• मृगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भृत्य-अतिथि-हुताशानाम्: of servants, guests, and the sacred fire
• भृत्य-अतिथि-हुताशानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + हुताश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; dvandva list: ‘servants, guests, and the fire (Agni)’

• प्रीणनम्: satisfaction/pleasing (act)
• प्रीणनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीणन (प्रातिपदिक; from √प्री (धातु) with action-noun)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुरुते: does/performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Varāha (default, primary instructor in Varāha Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Dharma Literature
• Social History (Hospitality)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a normative household economy and social ethic in Purāṇic literature: resources (including food procurement) are framed as serving dependents, guests, and ritual obligations, offering evidence for ideals of hospitality and domestic responsibility.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; it uses a general setting of the forest (vana) as a descriptive context.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To direct one’s household sustenance and actions toward responsible provision—supporting dependents, honoring guests, and maintaining ritual obligations (symbolized by the sacrificial fire).