Varaha Purana 39.14: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 14

Discrimination of the Three Bodies and the Dharaṇī Vow: A Manual for Dvādaśī Observance

Devanagari script

अनाममसगोत्रं च अमूर्तं मूर्तिवर्जितम् । कथं स ज्ञायते ब्रह्म संज्ञानामविवर्जितम् । तस्य संज्ञां कथय मे वेदमागविवस्थिताम् ॥ ३९.१४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 39.14

Transliteration

anāmamasagotraṃ ca amūrtaṃ mūrtivarjitam | kathaṃ sa jñāyate brahma saṃjñānāmavivarjitam | tasya saṃjñāṃ kathaya me vedamārgavyavasthitām || 39.14 ||

Translation

Without name and without lineage, formless and devoid of embodied form—how is that Brahman to be known, when it is not bereft of designation and name? Tell me its designation, established in the path of the Veda.

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Word by Word

• अनामम्: nameless
• अनामम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाम (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेधार्थ

• असगोत्रम्: without lineage/gotra
• असगोत्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असगोत्र (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + सगोत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not of the same lineage / without gotra)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अमूर्तम्: formless
• अमूर्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमूर्त (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + मूर्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास

• मूर्तिवर्जितम्: devoid of embodiment
• मूर्तिवर्जितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्तिवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; मूर्ति + वर्जित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मूर्त्या वर्जितम्)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (how)

• सः: he/that (Brahman)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (is known)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• संज्ञानामविवर्जितम्: not devoid of name and designation
• संज्ञानामविवर्जितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संज्ञानामविवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; संज्ञा + नाम + अविवर्जित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (संज्ञा-नामभ्यां अविवर्जितम् = not devoid of designation and name)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• संज्ञाम्: designation/name
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; enclitic (to me/of me)

• वेदमार्गव्यवस्थिताम्: established in the path of the Veda
• वेदमार्गव्यवस्थिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदमार्गव्यवस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + मार्ग + व्यवस्थित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (वेदमार्गे व्यवस्थिताम्)

Speaker

Pṛthivī (defaulted by dialogue framework: inquirer)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Discourse
• Vaishnavism
• Sanskrit Philosophy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic strategy of framing metaphysical inquiry (Brahman’s knowability) through Vedic categories such as nāma (name) and saṃjñā (designation), aligning devotional-philosophical discussion with inherited exegetical vocabulary.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; the focus is conceptual (how Brahman is designated/known) rather than topographical.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds intellectual discipline: seeking knowledge through an established method (the Vedic path) rather than speculation, emphasizing structured inquiry and careful terminology in approaching ultimate reality.