Varaha Purana 70.2: Adhyaya 70, Shloka 2

Nārāyaṇa as the Sacrificial Principle, Analysis of the Three Guṇas, and the Account of Delusion-Doctrines

Devanagari script

अनाराध्य हरिं भक्त्या को लोकान् कामयेद् बुधः । आराधिते हरौ लोकाः सर्वे करतलेऽभवन् ॥ ७०.२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 70.2

Transliteration

anārādhya hariṃ bhaktyā ko lokān kāmayed budhaḥ | ārādhite harau lokāḥ sarve karatale 'bhavan || 70.2 ||

Translation

Ohne Hari in Hingabe zu verehren, welcher Weise würde andere Welten begehren? Wird Hari verehrt, so sind alle Welten gleichsam in der eigenen Handfläche.

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Word by Word

• अनाराध्य: without worshipping
• अनाराध्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prerequisite action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन् + आ√राध् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), नकार-निषेधपूर्वक (negative): ‘having not worshipped’

• हरिम्: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• कामयेत्: would desire
• कामयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्/काम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आराधिते: when (he) is worshipped
• आराधिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative condition)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√राध् (धातु)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP/क्त), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘हरौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण: ‘when Hari is worshipped’

• हरौ: in/with regard to Hari
• हरौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोकाः: worlds
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘लोकाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• करतले: in the palm (of the hand)
• करतले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘hand’s surface’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभवन्: became/were
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Varāha (default, primary instructor in Varāha Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic ethical strategy: framing devotion (bhakti) as a superior and comprehensive means compared to seeking merit through aspirational “worlds” (lokas), a theme widely attested across early medieval Sanskrit devotional literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic or pilgrimage location is named in this verse; it discusses a general philosophical hierarchy of aims rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse prioritizes disciplined devotion to Hari over the pursuit of secondary rewards, presenting devotion as a practice that renders other goals comparatively unnecessary.