Varaha Purana 43.4: Adhyaya 43, Shloka 4

The Caitra Dvādaśī Observance and the Ritual Procedure for Worship of Vāmana

Devanagari script

अनेन विधिनाभ्यर्च्य देवदेवं सनातनम् । प्राग्वदेवोत्तरं कुम्भं सयुग्मं पुरतो न्यसेत् ॥ ४३.४ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 43.4

Transliteration

anena vidhinābhyarcya devadevaṃ sanātanam | prāgvadevottaraṃ kumbhaṃ sayugmaṃ purato nyaset || 43.4 ||

Translation

Nachdem man nach dieser Vorschrift den ewigen Gott der Götter verehrt hat, soll man vorn einen Wasserkrug (kumbha) wie zuvor ausrichten—nach Norden von Osten—und ihn zusammen mit seinem Gegenstück hinstellen.

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Word by Word

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• विधिना: by the procedure/rite
• विधिना: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having worshipped’

• देवदेवम्: the God of gods
• देवदेवम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: कर्म (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) देवदेवम्-इति

• प्राक्: to the east / in front (eastward)
• प्राक्: अधिकरण (Locative sense/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/कालवाचक (adverb: eastward/previously)

• वत्: as/like
• वत्: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक-प्रत्ययवत् (like/as)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• उत्तरम्: to the north / northern
• उत्तरम्: कर्म (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (directional qualifier) कुम्भम्-इति

• कुम्भम्: a pot (kumbha)
• कुम्भम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सयुग्मम्: together with a pair (i.e., paired)
• सयुग्मम्: कर्म (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सहित-समासः: ‘with a pair’) विशेषणम् कुम्भम्-इति

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: अधिकरण (Location/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: in front)

• न्यसेत्: should place/set down
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ritual Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a procedural detail of Purāṇic-era ritual performance (pūjā-vidhi), reflecting how material objects (such as the kumbha) and spatial orientation were standardized within Sanskrit liturgical manuals and Purāṇic instruction.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific toponym or pilgrimage site is named in this verse; the reference is to ritual orientation by directions (east and north), a common feature of South Asian ritual spatial design rather than a particular location.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes disciplined observance of a prescribed method—careful, orderly practice—framed as an ethical commitment to precision and continuity in cultural-ritual procedures.