Varaha Purana 195.2 — Adhyaya 195, Shloka 2

Description of Sinners Abiding in Yama’s Realm

Catalog of Transgressions and the Logic of Retribution

Devanagari script

संसारं तु यथाशक्ति कथ्यमानं निबोधत ॥ असत्यवादिनो ये च जन्तुस्त्रीबालघातकाः

Transliteration

saṃsāraṃ tu yathāśakti kathyamānaṃ nibodhata || asatyavādino ye ca jantu-strī-bāla-ghātakāḥ

Translation

Erkennt, soweit es mir möglich ist, diesen Bericht über das Dasein im Saṃsāra, wie ich ihn vortrage: jene, die Unwahrheit reden, und jene, die Lebewesen töten, auch Frauen und Kinder.

Word by Word

• saṃsāram: worldly course/transmigration (here: account)
• saṃsāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (अवधारण/विरोध)

• yathāśakti: according to (my/one’s) ability
• yathāśakti: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound (अव्ययीभाव), adverbial; meaning ‘according to ability’

• kathyamānam: being narrated
• kathyamānam: Karma (कर्म—qualifier of saṃsāram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (मान), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• nibodhata: understand/know
• nibodhata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√budh (बुध् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• asatyavādinaḥ: liars/speakers of falsehood
• asatyavādinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता—class of persons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-satya (प्रातिपदिक) + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (असत्यं वदन्ति)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता—correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• jantu-strī-bāla-ghātakāḥ: killers of creatures, women, and children
• jantu-strī-bāla-ghātakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता—class of persons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक) + bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ghātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जन्तूनां स्त्रीणां बालानां घातकाः)

Speaker

Nāciketa

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"Catalogues adharma: false speech and violence (including killing women/children) as grave moral faults within worldly existence.","karmic_consequence":"Such acts are implied to lead to demerit and punitive post-mortem outcomes (naraka/duḥkha), as part of a moral taxonomy."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics (dharma-adharma viveka)","core_concept":"Speech and action shape saṃsāric bondage; falsehood and violence are primary adharma-roots.","practical_application":"Practice satya, ahiṃsā, and protection of the vulnerable; avoid harm by word and deed."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: None

Cross References

Related Themes: Varaha Purana 195.3.0-195.6.0 (continuation of moral taxonomy)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic recitation scene: the speaker enumerates classes of wrongdoers as a moral map of saṃsāra.","item_prompts":["seated teacher figure reciting","listeners attentive","scroll/palm-leaf manuscript","darkened backdrop suggesting saṃsāra","symbolic figures representing false speech and violence"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette; a seated ācārya-like figure teaching, palm-leaf manuscript, stylized symbolic vignettes of adharma in the margins.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold leaf halo around the instructor; ornate manuscript stand; small narrative panels showing satya vs asatya and protection vs violence.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework; calm teacher posture; subdued symbolic silhouettes of wrongdoers behind, emphasizing moral contrast.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style; intimate teaching setting with layered hills/architecture as metaphor; small grouped figures illustrating falsehood and killing as cautionary motifs."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"admonitory, grave","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"firm, didactic, compassionate-underwarning"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Moral Taxonomy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic moral cataloging—grouping transgressions (speech-ethics and violence) as part of an instructive taxonomy for audiences.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named; the focus is ethical classification.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It condemns false speech and violence against vulnerable beings, presenting them as serious moral violations.