Varaha Purana 39.37: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 37

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Ritual Purification and Vow-Procedure (Śauca–Vrata Vidhi)

Devanagari script

एवं मृदं तथा तोयं प्रसाद्यात्मानमालभेत् । त्रिः कृत्वा शेषमृदया कुण्डमालिख्य वै जले ॥ ३९.३७ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 39.37

Transliteration

evaṃ mṛdaṃ tathā toyaṃ prasādya ātmānam ālabhet | triḥ kṛtvā śeṣa-mṛdayā kuṇḍam ālikhya vai jale || 39.37 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Thus, having ritually prepared the clay and likewise the water, one should anoint oneself. Having done so three times, with the remaining clay one should draw a ritual basin (kuṇḍa) in the water.

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)

• मृदम्: earth/clay
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अनुक्रमवाचक (also/likewise)
• Role: सम्बन्धसूचक (Connector)
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• तोयम्: water
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रसाद्य: having propitiated
• Type: Verb
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund), ‘having propitiated/pleased’
• Role: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Root: प्र + सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)

• आत्मानम्: oneself
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• आलभेत्: should touch/apply
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद
• Role: क्रिया (Action)
• Root: आ + लभ् (धातु)

• त्रिः: thrice
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, संख्यावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (numeral adverb)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund), ‘having done’
• Role: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)

• शेष-मृदया: with the remaining clay
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘शेषस्य मृदा’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन
• Role: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)

• कुण्डम्: a pit/basin
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)

• आलिख्य: having drawn
• Type: Verb
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund), ‘having drawn/outlined’
• Role: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Root: आ + लिख् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण (emphatic particle)
• Role: निपात (Particle)
• Root: वै (अव्यय)

• जले: in water
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• प्रसाद्य + आत्मानम् → प्रसाद्यात्मानम्
• आत्मानम् + आलभेत् → आत्मानमालभेत्
• शेषमृदया is a तत्पुरुष compound (शेष + मृदया)

Speaker and setting

Shanta rasaSetting: Jalāśaya/riverbank

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ritual-ethics (śauca)

Subjects

Ritual PracticePurificationEthicsCultural Heritage

Core idea

Outer purification disciplines the mind and prepares the adhikāra for worship.

In practice

Follow stepwise cleanliness: prepare materials, perform repeated anointing, and demarcate a clean ritual zone before proceeding to further acts.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ritual Studies
• Śauca (Purity Codes)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a prescriptive ritual sequence (use of clay and water for purification) characteristic of Purāṇic compilations that transmit practical śauca (purity) procedures alongside narrative material.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit geographic toponym appears in this verse; it describes an action performed in water (jale), without naming a specific river, tīrtha, or region.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes disciplined self-preparation and cleanliness through a structured, repeatable purification act, reflecting a broader Purāṇic concern with bodily and ritual integrity before undertaking religious or social duties.