Varaha Purana 39.40: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 40

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Vaiṣṇava Stotra / Aṅga-nyāsa style descriptive praise (iconographic mapping of the deity’s body)

Devanagari script

ऊरुयुग्मं नृसिंहाय उरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे । कण्ठं कौस्तुभनाथाय वक्षः श्रीपतये तथा ॥ ३९.४० ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 39.40

Transliteration

ūruyugmaṁ nṛsiṁhāya uraḥ śrīvatsadhāriṇe | kaṇṭhaṁ kaustubhanāthāya vakṣaḥ śrīpataye tathā || 39.40 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

‘নৃসিংহায়’ বুলি ঊৰুযুগল অৰ্পণ কৰিব; ‘শ্ৰীৱৎসধাৰিণে’ বুলি উৰঃ। ‘কৌস্তুভনাথায়’ বুলি কণ্ঠ, আৰু ‘শ্ৰীপতয়ে’ বুলি বক্ষস্থলও অৰ্পণ কৰিব।

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Word by Word

• ऊरु-युग्मम्: pair of thighs
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ऊर्योः युग्मम्’ (pair of thighs); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object; body-part being saluted)
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)

• नृसिंहाय: to Narasiṃha
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Root: नृसिंह (प्रातिपदिक)

• उरः: chest
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; पदान्त ‘उरः’
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object; body-part being saluted)
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• श्रीवत्स-धारिणे: to the bearer of Śrīvatsa
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘श्रीवत्सं धारयति’ (one who bears Śrīvatsa); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• कण्ठम्: throat/neck
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object; body-part being saluted)
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)

• कौस्तुभ-नाथाय: to the lord of the Kaustubha (gem)
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कौस्तुभस्य नाथः’ (lord/possessor of Kaustubha); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)

• वक्षः: breast/chest
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; पदान्त ‘वक्षः’
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object; body-part being saluted)
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• श्रीपतये: to Śrīpati (lord of Śrī)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Root: श्रीपति (प्रातिपदिक)

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अनुक्रमवाचक (likewise/also)
• Role: सम्बन्धसूचक (Connector)
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• ऊरुयुग्मं → ऊरु-युग्मम् (समास)
• श्रीवत्सधारिणे → श्रीवत्स-धारिणे (समास)
• कौस्तुभनाथाय → कौस्तुभ-नाथाय (समास)

Speaker and setting

Bhakti and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Sanctum/arcana space

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Integrative devotion (eka-deva, aneka-śakti)

Subjects

IconographyDevotional LiteratureRitual Language (Nyāsa-style attribution)Vaiṣṇava Theology (descriptive epithets)

Core idea

Multiple avatāra-epithets converge in one body of the Lord, teaching unity of the divine across forms.

In practice

In japa/pūjā, contemplate protective and auspicious attributes (Narasiṁha, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, Śrīpati) as supports for courage, purity, and steadiness.

Dharma

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic style of Vaiṣṇava iconographic description using established epithets (Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, Śrīpati), reflecting how medieval Sanskrit traditions encoded deity-identification through bodily marks and ornaments.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it is focused on bodily/iconographic attribution rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Rather than a direct ethical injunction, the verse models disciplined contemplative attention—systematically associating divine epithets with bodily loci, a practice often used to cultivate focus and reverence in ritual or meditative contexts.