Varaha Purana 200.48: Adhyaya 200, Shloka 48

Description of the Forms of Infernal Torments

Naraka Yātanās

Devanagari script

यैस्तु स्पृष्टश्च दष्टश्च कृमिरूपश्च जायते ॥ प्रेतो वर्षति मांसासृगस्मात्कृच्छ्रात्तु निर्गतः

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 200.48

Transliteration

yais tu spṛṣṭaś ca daṣṭaś ca kṛmirūpaś ca jāyate | preto varṣati māṁsāsṛg asmāt kṛcchrāt tu nirgataḥ ||

Translation

Doch von jenen (Fliegen), die ihn berühren und beißen, nimmt er die Gestalt eines Wurmes an; und der Geist des Verstorbenen lässt, aus jener Not hervorgegangen, Fleisch und Blut herabregnen.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• यैः: by which (ones)
• यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by whom/which’

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; contrast/emphasis)

• स्पृष्टः: touched
• स्पृष्टः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (he) having been touched

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• दष्टः: bitten
• दष्टः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंश् (धातु) → दष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (he) having been bitten

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• कृमिरूपः: having the form of a worm
• कृमिरूपः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘कृमेः रूपम्’ → ‘कृमिरूपः’ (worm-formed)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• जायते: is born / becomes
• जायते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• प्रेतः: a departed spirit / preta
• प्रेतः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वर्षति: rains / pours forth
• वर्षति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मांसासृक्: flesh and blood
• मांसासृक्: कर्म (Karma/Object; what is poured)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + असृज्/असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः ‘मांसं च असृक् च’

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रात्: from the hardship / torment
• कृच्छ्रात्: अपादान (Apādāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रायः), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; emphasis)

• निर्गतः: having come out / emerged
• निर्गतः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + गम् (धातु) → निर्गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with प्रेतः

Speaker

Varāha (default, instructor voice in Varāha Purāṇa dialogues)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Eschatology
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a Purāṇic trope of metamorphosis under punishment, reflecting premodern theories of embodiment and consequence.

Which geographic location is identified?

No physical geography is specified; the verse continues the otherworldly punitive sequence.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The narrative conveys that harmful actions result in dehumanizing suffering and loss of agency.