Varaha Purana 8.42: Adhyaya 8, Shloka 42

Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices

Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna

Devanagari script

नमामि विष्णुं त्रिदशारिनाशनं विशालवक्षस्थलसंश्रितश्रियम् । सुषासनं नीतिमतां परां गतिं त्रिविक्रमं मन्दरधारिणं सदा ॥ ८.४२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 8.42

Transliteration

namāmi viṣṇuṃ tridaśāri-nāśanaṃ viśāla-vakṣaḥ-sthala-saṃśrita-śriyam | suśāsanaṃ nīti-matāṃ parāṃ gatiṃ trivikramaṃ mandara-dhāriṇaṃ sadā || 8.42 ||

Translation

Ich verneige mich vor Viṣṇu, dem Vernichter der Feinde der Götter, auf dessen breiter Brust Śrī (Glanz und Glück) weilt. Immerdar verneige ich mich vor Ihm: dem guten Herrscher, dem höchsten Zufluchtsort derer, die der rechten Ordnung folgen; vor Trivikrama, dem Träger des Mandara.

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Word by Word

• namāmi: I bow to
• namāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tridaśa-ari-nāśanam: destroyer of the enemies of the gods
• tridaśa-ari-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of the enemies of the gods' + 'destroyer'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण

• viśāla-vakṣaḥ-sthala-saṃśrita-śriyam: he whose Lakshmi rests on his broad chest
• viśāla-vakṣaḥ-sthala-saṃśrita-śriyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ('whose Lakṣmī is resorted to/abides on the broad chest-region'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण

• su-śāsanam: the good ruler / of good governance
• su-śāsanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('good' + 'ruler/discipline'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण

• nīti-matām: of the righteous/wise (those possessing right conduct)
• nīti-matām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīti (प्रातिपदिक) + mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद: 'possessing policy/ethics'); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• parām: supreme
• parām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गतिम् इति विशेषण

• gatim: goal/refuge
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• trivikramam: Trivikrama
• trivikramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trivikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

• mandara-dhāriṇam: bearer of Mandara (mountain)
• mandara-dhāriṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('Mandara' + 'bearer'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Varāha (default attribution within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue framework; explicit speaker not stated in the excerpt)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Sanskrit
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Stotra / Hymnic Praise

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a Purāṇic stuti style that integrates theology with social ideals—here, portraying Viṣṇu not only as a cosmic figure (Trivikrama; Mandara-bearer) but also as an archetype of legitimate, ethical rulership (suśāsana), reflecting the Purāṇas’ role in transmitting cultural-political ethics alongside mythic narrative.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific terrestrial sacred site is named in this verse. The term “Mandara” refers to the mythic mountain Mandara associated with cosmic events (notably the churning narrative tradition), functioning here as a cosmological reference rather than a clearly mappable historical location.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse elevates nīti (ethical conduct/policy) and suśāsana (good governance) as normative ideals, presenting the ‘highest refuge’ (parā gati) as aligned with right conduct—an ethical framing embedded within devotional praise rather than a direct command.