Varaha Purana 99.2: Adhyaya 99, Shloka 2

The Greatness and Rite of the Sesame-Cow (Tiladhenu) Gift

Devanagari script

सैव नन्दा भवेद्देवी देवकार्यचिकीर्षया ॥ महिषाख्यासुरवधं कुर्वती ब्रह्मणेरिता

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 99.2

Transliteration

saiva nandā bhaved devī devakāryacikīrṣayā || mahiṣākhyāsuravadhaṃ kurvatī brahmaṇeritā

Translation

Eben jene (Kraft) wurde zur Göttin Nandā, entschlossen, das Werk der Götter zu vollbringen; von Brahmā angetrieben, vollzog sie die Tötung des Asura namens Mahiṣa.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• नन्दा: Nandā
• नन्दा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (proper name)

• भवेत्: would become/should become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Kartā/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular; apposition to 'nandā'

• देवकार्यचिकीर्षया: with the desire to accomplish the gods’ task
• देवकार्यचिकीर्षया: हेतु (Hetu/Reason-Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चिकीर्षा (कृ धातु, सन्-इच्छार्थक भाव)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'देवानां कार्यम्' + 'चिकीर्षा' (desire to do); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental of purpose

• महिषाख्यासुरवधम्: the slaying of the asura called Mahiṣa
• महिषाख्यासुरवधम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषाख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'महिषाख्यस्य असुरस्य वधः'; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• कुर्वती: doing/performing
• कुर्वती: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agentive participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with 'devī'

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā/Brahman
• ब्रह्मणा: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• ईरिता: impelled/commissioned
• ईरिता: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईर्/ईरित (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with 'devī'

Speaker

Dharaṇī (Pṛthivī)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Goddess Traditions
• Deva–Asura Narratives
• Ritual Mahātmya Frames

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows the circulation of well-known goddess-and-Asura motifs within diverse Purāṇic contexts, here serving as an authoritative mythic backdrop to a ritual ‘māhātmya’ section.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The narrative frames divine agency as oriented toward restoring order (‘the work of the gods’), implying a moral valuation of protective action in mythic terms.