Varaha Purana 135.44: Adhyaya 135, Shloka 44

Prescriptions for Expiation of Offences: Red/Black Garments, Improper Touch in Darkness, Impure Leftovers, Eating Boar-Meat, and Consuming Jālapāda

Devanagari script

तरन्ति मानुषा येन तिर्यक्संसारसागरात् ॥ गोमयेन दिनं पञ्च कणाहारेण सप्त वै ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 135.44

Transliteration

taranti mānuṣā yena tiryaksaṃsārasāgarāt || gomayena dinaṃ pañca kaṇāhāreṇa sapta vai

Translation

Durch welches Mittel überqueren Menschen den Ozean des Saṃsāra hin zu tierischen Daseinsformen?—(Er lebe) fünf Tage von Kuhdung und sieben Tage von einer Körnerkost (kaṇa), wahrlich.

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Word by Word

• taranti: they cross over
• taranti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṝ (तॄ-धातु)
• Form: Present indicative (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); Parasmaipada

• mānuṣāḥ: people / humans
• mānuṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (मानुष-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• tiryak-saṃsāra-sāgarāt: from the ocean of animal/transmigratory existence
• tiryak-saṃsāra-sāgarāt: Apadana (अपादान/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiryak (तिर्यक्-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsāra (संसार-प्रातिपदिक) + sāgara (सागर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'from the ocean of transmigration among animals'

• gomayena: with cow-dung
• gomayena: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomaya (गोमय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dinam: for a day
• dinam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/अवधि-द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (दिन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); duration-accusative

• pañca: five
• pañca: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (पञ्चन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक); indeclinable-like in form; here qualifying 'dinam' (five [days])

• kaṇāhāreṇa: with a grain-diet
• kaṇāhāreṇa: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇa (कण-प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (आहार-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'by a diet of grains/particles'

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptan (सप्तन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक); qualifying an implied 'dināni' (seven [days])

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (वै)
• Form: Particle (निपात); emphasis/assurance

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker per dialogue framework; prescriptive instruction begins)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious; seeking means to transcend degraded rebirths","key_question":"By what discipline does a human cross the saṃsāra-ocean that leads into tiryak (animal) states?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"A graded expiatory regimen begins: five days on gomaya, then seven days on kaṇa (grain) diet, as a means to overcome sin leading to animal rebirth.","karmic_consequence":"Proper observance purifies pāpa and prevents tiryak-gati; neglect leaves one vulnerable to degraded transmigration."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics/soteriology","core_concept":"Saṃsāra is crossable through tapas and regulated diet that burns impurity (pāpa) and reforms habit.","practical_application":"Undertake expiation with strict food-regulation under guidance, treating diet as a tool for self-mastery and moral repair."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: karuṇa

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 135.49-52 (continuation of the regimen and its fruit)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as divine instructor prescribing a severe, stepwise dietary expiation to avert animal rebirth.","item_prompts":["Varāha seated as teacher","ascetic practitioner with begging bowl","cow-dung cakes (gomaya) symbolically shown","small measured grains (kaṇa)","scroll/palm-leaf indicating injunction"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Varāha with calm authoritative posture, warm earthy palette, minimal background, disciple receiving dietary injunction.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: Varāha enthroned with subtle gold halo; offerings of gomaya/kaṇa depicted as symbolic bowls; ornate borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined linework; Varāha teaching gesture (vyākhyāna-mudrā); ascetic in humility; subdued hermitage setting.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: hillside āśrama vignette; Varāha as sage-like deity; small narrative details of measured food portions."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic, purificatory","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"firm, instructive, compassionate"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Prāyaścitta
• Ascetic Discipline

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a specific penitential regimen, useful for comparative studies of dharmaśāstra and Purāṇic prāyaścitta traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Atonement is presented as structured self-discipline aimed at moral and existential purification.