Varaha Purana 21.38: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 38

The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari–Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तास्ततो देवाः ऊचुर्मातामहं तदा । दक्ष तात किमत्रास्मत्कार्यं ब्रूहि विवक्षितम् ॥ २१.३९ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 21.38

Transliteration

evamuktās tato devā ūcur mātāmahaṃ tadā | dakṣa tāta kim atrāsmatkāryaṃ brūhi vivakṣitam || 21.39 ||

Translation

So angesprochen, sagten die Götter daraufhin zum Großvater (Mātāmaha): „O Dakṣa, lieber Vater, welche Aufgabe ist hier in unserem Auftrag zu tun? Sage uns, was beabsichtigt ist.“

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• उक्ताः: having been spoken to / addressed
• उक्ताः: क्रियाविशेषण/भाव (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; 'देवाः' इत्यस्य विधेय

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: क्रम/हेतु-निर्देश (sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'thereupon/from that')

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• मातामहम्: grandfather (Brahmā)
• मातामहम्: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि द्वितीया-प्रयोगः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दक्ष: O Dakṣa
• दक्ष: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• तात: O dear/father
• तात: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म/विषय (interrogative object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अस्मत्: our/of us
• अस्मत्: सम्बन्ध (genitive in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• कार्यम्: task/duty
• कार्यम्: विषय (topic/object of inquiry)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; 'अस्मत्-कार्यम्' षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (our duty/task)

• ब्रूहि: tell (us)
• ब्रूहि: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• विवक्षितम्: what is intended (to be said)
• विवक्षितम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-वक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; 'that which is intended to be said'

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Dialogue
• Cosmic Administration

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative pattern where divine agents seek instruction from an elder authority figure, framing cosmological events through the language of duty (kārya) and deliberation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; it is set within a cosmological/assembly context rather than a site-specific (tīrtha) description.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds accountable action: before acting, the agents request clarification of the intended task, emphasizing deliberation, clear communication, and responsibility in carrying out duties.