Varaha Purana 97.7: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 7

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Devanagari script

वामाङ्गुष्ठनखेनाद्यं प्राजापत्यं विचक्षणः ॥ तन्निकृत्तं शिरो धात्री हस्तलग्नं बभूव ह ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.7

Transliteration

vāmāṅguṣṭhanakhenādyaṃ prājāpatyaṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ || tannikṛttaṃ śiro dhātrī hastalagnaṃ babhūva ha ||

Translation

বিচক্ষণ জনে বাঁও হাতৰ বুঢ়া আঙুলিৰ নখেৰে প্ৰজাপতিৰ আদিম শিৰ বিচ্ছিন্ন কৰিলে। হে ধাত্রী (পৃথিৱী), সেই কাটা শিৰ (তাঁৰ) হাতত লেগি ৰ’ল—এনেদৰে কোৱা হয়।

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Word by Word

• vāma-aṅguṣṭha-nakhena: with the nail of the left thumb
• vāma-aṅguṣṭha-nakhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma-aṅguṣṭha-nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa chain: vāma (left) + aṅguṣṭha (thumb) + nakha (nail)

• ādyam: first / original
• ādyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prājāpatyam: (that) of Prajāpati / Brahmā’s
• prājāpatyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective used substantively (referring to Prajāpati/Brahmā’s)

• vicakṣaṇaḥ: the discerning one
• vicakṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nikṛttam: cut off
• nikṛttam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√kṛt (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhātrī: Dhātrī (the Earth / a goddess named Dhātrī)
• dhātrī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• hasta-lagnam: stuck to the hand
• hasta-lagnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasta-lagna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: hasta (hand) + lagna (attached)

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ha: indeed / (narrative particle)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), narrative/expletive

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Mythology
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It aligns with broader Indic mythic cycles involving Prajāpati and severed-head motifs, which are studied for their symbolic treatment of transgression, power, and purification.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; ‘Dhātrī’ is an address to Earth rather than a toponym.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse does not present a direct ethical prescription; it sets up a narrative consequence (attachment of the head) often used to motivate later acts of expiation or ritual resolution.