Varaha Purana 4.16: Adhyaya 4, Shloka 16

On Nārāyaṇa’s Ten Avatāras and Eightfold Manifestations, and the Account of King Aśvaśirā

Devanagari script

तावर्च्चितावासनगौ दृष्ट्वा राजा महाबलः । पप्रच्छ तौ तिग्मधियौ योगज्ञौ स्वेच्छयागतौ ॥ ४.१६ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 4.16

Transliteration

tāvarcchitāvāsanagau dṛṣṭvā rājā mahābalaḥ | papraccha tau tigmadhiyau yogajñau svecchayāgatau || 4.16 ||

Translation

Als der kraftvolle König jene beiden sah, wie sie nach gebührender Ehrung auf ihren Sitzen saßen, befragte er sie: zwei scharfsinnige Kenner des Yoga, die aus eigenem Willen gekommen waren.

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Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• अर्चितौ: honoured
• अर्चितौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; (तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• आसनगौ: seated (on seats)
• आसनगौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसनग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; समासः आसन + ग (आसने गच्छतः/आसने स्थितौ)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाबलः: mighty
• महाबलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः महत् + बल (महद् बलं यस्य)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ्/प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• तिग्मधियौ: sharp-minded
• तिग्मधियौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिग्मधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; समासः तिग्म + धि (तीक्ष्णा धिः यस्य)

• योगज्ञौ: knowers of yoga
• योगज्ञौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; समासः योग + ज्ञ (योगं जानाति)

• स्वेच्छया: by their own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः स्व + इच्छा (स्वकीया इच्छा)

• आगतौ: arrived
• आगतौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; (तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

Speaker

Narrator (default frame within Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue context)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative motif: a ruler receives ascetic or yogic specialists with honor and initiates inquiry, framing knowledge transmission as respectful dialogue within courtly and ascetic cultures.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is explicitly named in this verse; it functions as a scene-setting line focused on reception and inquiry.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds courteous reception (arcchita) and disciplined questioning (papraccha) as appropriate conduct when engaging learned specialists, emphasizing knowledge-seeking through respectful dialogue.