Varaha Purana 191.13: Adhyaya 191, Shloka 13

Section on the Origin of Madhuparka and the Procedure for Its Ritual Donation

Devanagari script

मधुपर्केण किं कार्यम् एतदाचक्ष्व निष्कलम् ॥ पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा मयासौ प्रतिबाषितः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 191.13

Transliteration

madhuparkeṇa kiṃ kāryam etad ācakṣva niṣkalam || pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā mayāsau pratibhāṣitaḥ |

Translation

„Wozu dient der Madhuparka? Sage dies vollständig, ohne Fehl.“ Nachdem ich die Worte des Großvaters (Pitāmaha) vernommen hatte, erwiderte ich ihm.

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Word by Word

• मधुपर्केण: by/with Madhuparka
• मधुपर्केण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास-प्रातिपदिक; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative

• कार्यम्: purpose / need
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘what is to be done/purpose’

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

• आचक्ष्व: tell / explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• निष्कलम्: fully / entirely
• निष्कलम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘completely/without remainder’

• पितामह: of the grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (in compound relation)

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having heard’

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• असौ: him / that one
• असौ: Karma (कर्म/Object—‘him’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रतिभाषितः: was replied to / answered
• प्रतिभाषितः: Kriyā (क्रिया—passive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति+भाष् (धातु) → प्रतिभाषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; passive sense ‘was replied to/answered’

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Purāṇic Instructional Dialogue
• Ritual Semantics
• Sanskrit Imperatives
• Cultural History

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It foregrounds a rationalized question—‘what is its purpose?’—showing how Purāṇic texts often motivate ritual practice through explicit teleological explanation.

Which geographic location is identified?

None.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The implied instruction is methodological: practices should be understood through complete explanation (niṣkalam) rather than performed without comprehension.