Varaha Purana 137.74: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

एतदाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥ वसुधाया वचः श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्मायाकरण्डकः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 137.74

Transliteration

etad ācakṣva tattvena paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me || vasudhāyā vacaḥ śrutvā viṣṇur māyākaraṇḍakaḥ

Translation

Erkläre mir dies der Wahrheit gemäß, denn groß ist meine Neugier. Als Viṣṇu die Worte der Vasudhā (Erde) vernommen hatte — hier als «Schrein der Māyā» bezeichnet — …

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell/explain
• आचक्ष्व: क्रिया (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्त्वेन: truly / in accordance with reality
• तत्त्वेन: करण/रीति (Instrument/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in truth/accurately’

• परम्: great/utter
• परम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कौतूहलम्)

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity/wonder
• कौतूहलम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of implied ‘asti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा—‘is’ implied

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)

• मे: my/of me
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic

• वसुधायाः: of Vasudhā
• वसुधायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘śrutvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having heard’

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• माया-करण्डकः: (Viṣṇu) the ‘māyā-casket’ (one who contains/uses illusion)
• माया-करण्डकः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Apposition to Viṣṇu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + करण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (a casket/box of māyā; epithet)

Speaker

Pṛthivī/Vasudhā (inquirer; implied by ‘my curiosity’ and subsequent ‘having heard Vasudhā’s words’)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies the Purāṇic pedagogical method: an inquirer (Earth) requests a truthful explanation, setting up an authoritative response within a dialogue framework.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place-name is given; “Vasudhā” functions as a personification of Earth rather than a locale.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It elevates truth-oriented inquiry (tattvena) as the proper mode of questioning in doctrinal and narrative discussions.