Varaha Purana 116.23: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 23

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Devanagari script

सर्वभूताहितं पापं यत्त्वया परिपृच्छितम् ॥ यच्च मां पृच्छते भद्रे शुभं कीदृशमुच्यते

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.23

Transliteration

sarva-bhūtāhitaṃ pāpaṃ yat tvayā paripṛcchitam || yac ca māṃ pṛcchate bhadre śubhaṃ kīdṛśam ucyate

Translation

Das Übel, das allen Wesen schadet, wonach du gefragt hast; und auch, o Glückverheißende, fragst du mich, welche Art von „Gut“ als gut bezeichnet wird.

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Word by Word

• sarva-bhūta-ahitam: harmful to all beings
• sarva-bhūta-ahitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + ahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa meaning 'harmful to all beings' qualifying pāpam

• pāpam: sin, evil
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to pāpam

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana

• paripṛcchitam: asked, inquired about
• paripṛcchitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-pṛcch (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'asked/inquired'

• yat: and which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun introducing next clause

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• pṛcchate: you ask
• pṛcchate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṛcch (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd/मध्यमपुरुष), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada

• bhadre: O auspicious lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• śubham: good, auspiciousness
• śubham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• kīdṛśam: of what kind?
• kīdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; interrogative adjective qualifying śubham

• ucyate: is said/called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada; passive sense (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

Speaker

Varāha (default, addressing Pṛthivī)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Ethical Discourse
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a dialogic pedagogical method: defining ‘harmful evil’ (sarvabhūtāhita pāpa) and then transitioning to criteria for ‘good’ (śubha).

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Ethical evaluation is framed in terms of harm to all beings and the discernment of what counts as genuinely beneficial or ‘good’ conduct.