Varaha Purana 137.2 — Adhyaya 137, Shloka 2

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

मम किं तात राज्येन कोशेन च बलेन च ॥ यस्त्वया रहितस्तात न शक्नोमि विचेष्टितुम्

Transliteration

mama kiṁ tāta rājyena kośena ca balena ca || yas tvayā rahitas tāta na śaknomi viceṣṭitum

Translation

„Was habe ich, lieber Vater, mit einem Königreich, mit Schatzkammer oder mit Macht zu schaffen? Ohne dich, Vater, vermag ich nicht einmal zu handeln.“

Word by Word

• मम: of me / my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: कर्म (कर्म/Accusative object; idiomatic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun)

• तात: O dear father / dear one
• तात: सम्बोधन (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• राज्येन: with/by kingdom, sovereignty
• राज्येन: करण (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• कोशेन: with treasury
• कोशेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (Conjunction)

• बलेन: with strength / army
• बलेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (Conjunction)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (Relative pronoun)

• त्वया: by you / from you
• त्वया: अपादान/वियोग (Ablatival sense via instrumental; separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• रहितः: deprived (of), without
• रहितः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• तात: O father
• तात: सम्बोधन (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (Negation particle)

• शक्नोमि: I am able
• शक्नोमि: क्रिया (Verb; action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• विचेष्टितुम्: to act / to make any effort
• विचेष्टितुम्: कर्मप्रवृत्तिनिमित्त (Infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose/action)

Speaker

Pṛthivī (default dialogue frame; speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Kingship","Renunciation"]

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharmaśāstra Themes
• Dialogue Narrative

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a recurring Purāṇic narrative motif: the critique of royal power when set against personal duty and relational ethics, illustrating how kingship is framed as secondary to dharma and attachment.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse fragment.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

A philosophical preference for relational duty and inner stability over political authority and material resources.