Varaha Purana 174.2: Adhyaya 174, Shloka 2

The Sanctifying Power of River Confluences: Release from the Preta-State and the Rite of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī with Vāmana Worship

Devanagari script

अत्रैव श्रूयते पूर्वं ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः॥ महानामेति विख्यातः स्थितोऽसौ वनमाश्रितः॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 174.2

Transliteration

atraiva śrūyate pūrvaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśita-vrataḥ || mahānāma iti vikhyātaḥ sthito 'sau vanam āśritaḥ

Translation

Eben hier wird seit alter Zeit vernommen: Ein Brāhmaṇa von streng eingehaltenen Gelübden, bekannt unter dem Namen Mahānāma, lebte dort, indem er in den Wald Zuflucht nahm.

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Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• श्रूयते: is heard/is recounted
• श्रूयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• संशितव्रतः: of firm vows
• संशितव्रतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशित-व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘संशितं (दृढं/तीक्ष्णं) व्रतं यस्य’

• महानामा: Mahānāmā (name)
• महानामा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• इति: thus, named
• इति: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• विख्यातः: renowned, well-known
• विख्यातः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (ख्यात/ख्या धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः वि-

• स्थितः: standing/remaining
• स्थितः: Kriya-samartha (क्रियासमर्थ/अवस्था)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु; कृदन्त स्थित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: that man/he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having resorted to
• आश्रितः: Kriya-samartha (क्रियासमर्थ/अवस्था)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः आ-

Speaker

Varāha (narrative continuation)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ascetic Practice
• Cultural Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It introduces an exemplum (didactic story) using a named figure, a common Purāṇic method for embedding ethical ideals in narrative form.

Which geographic location is identified?

The setting is ‘here’ (atra) in the discourse context, and specifically a forest (vana), without a distinct toponym in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Self-restraint and disciplined vows (vrata) are presented as foundational virtues in the narrative’s moral frame.