Varaha Purana 137.89: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 89

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

Devanagari script

वाणीं सूक्ष्मां समादाय स सोमो चोदितो मया॥ किं वा फलं समुद्धिश्य तप्यसे सुमहत्तपः॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 137.89

Transliteration

vāṇīṃ sūkṣmāṃ samādāya sa somo codito mayā || kiṃ vā phalaṃ samuddiśya tapyase sumahattapaḥ ||

Translation

Mit feiner Stimme sprach jener Soma, von mir veranlasst: „Auf welche Frucht zielst du, welches Ergebnis erstrebend übst du eine so überaus große Askese?“

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Word by Word

• वाणीम्: speech/voice
• वाणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• सूक्ष्माम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्माम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सोमः: Soma (Moon-god)
• सोमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चोदितः: impelled/urged
• चोदितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चोदित (प्रातिपदिक; √चुद्/चोद्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (PPP)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• समुद्दिश्य: aiming at/intending
• समुद्दिश्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund)

• तप्यसे: you perform austerity/you are heated (by tapas)
• तप्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सुमहत्तपः: O very-great ascetic
• सुमहत्तपः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-महत्-तपस् (प्रातिपदिक; सु + महत् + तपस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative sense)

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker framework; narrative reports Soma’s speech)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Philosophy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It captures a key Purāṇic pedagogical move: austerity (tapas) is interrogated by asking its intended end (phala), aligning ascetic practice with reflective purpose rather than mere self-mortification.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this segment.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Austerity should be examined through its intention and goal; purposeful discipline is valued over unreflective exertion.