Varaha Purana 94.27: Adhyaya 94, Shloka 27

The Birth of Mahiṣāsura and the Goddess’s Victory as Mahīṣamardinī

Devanagari script

ततः कन्या महाभागाः सर्वास्ता देविशासनात् । बभूवुर्घोररूपिण्यः खङ्गचर्मधनुर्धराः । सङ्ग्रामहेतोः सन्तस्थुर्दैत्यविध्वंसनाय ताः ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 94.27

Transliteration

tataḥ kanyā mahābhāgāḥ sarvāstā deviśāsanāt | babhūvur ghorarūpiṇyaḥ khaṅgacarmadhanurdharāḥ | saṅgrāmahetoḥ santasthur daityavidhvaṃsanāya tāḥ ||

Translation

Daraufhin nahmen all jene glückseligen Jungfrauen, gemäß dem Gebot der Göttin, furchterregende Gestalten an, mit Schwert, Schild und Bogen bewaffnet; zum Zwecke der Schlacht stellten sie sich auf, entschlossen, die Dämonen zu vernichten.

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Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• kanyāḥ: the maidens
• kanyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• mahābhāgāḥ: very fortunate/illustrious
• mahābhāgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ‘greatly fortunate’ (qualifies kanyāḥ)

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifies kanyāḥ

• tāḥ: they/those
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; resumptive pronoun for kanyāḥ

• devī-śāsanāt: from the goddess’s command
• devī-śāsanāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘from the goddess’s command’

• babhūvuḥ: became
• babhūvuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ghora-rūpiṇyaḥ: of dreadful form
• ghora-rūpiṇyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ‘having terrible forms’

• khaṅga-carma-dhanuḥ-dharāḥ: bearing sword, shield, and bow
• khaṅga-carma-dhanuḥ-dharāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + carma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhanuḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ‘bearing sword, shield, and bow’ (qualifies kanyāḥ)

• saṅgrāma-hetoḥ: for battle’s sake
• saṅgrāma-hetoḥ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgrāma (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘for the sake/cause of battle’ (idiomatically purpose)

• santasthuḥ: stood ready/took position
• santasthuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• daitya-vidhvaṃsanāya: for destroying the demons
• daitya-vidhvaṃsanāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhvaṃsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘for the destruction of demons’

• tāḥ: they
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; refers to the maidens

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative frame)

Tags

• Purāṇic Narrative
• Martial Imagery
• Classical Sanskrit Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse preserves a stylized catalogue of arms and a motif of collective mobilization, common across Purāṇic and epic battle narratives.

Which geographic location is identified?

No place-name appears; the verse is descriptive of forces and intent rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Organized, purposeful action—undertaken to restrain destructive forces—is depicted as legitimate when grounded in a guiding command and collective responsibility.