Shloka 28

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

प्रयान्ति तोयानि खुराग्रविक्षते रसातले ऽधः कृतशब्दसंततम् श्वासानिलार्ताः परितः प्रयान्ति सिद्धा जने ये नियतं वसन्ति

Transliteration

prayānti toyāni khurāgravikṣate rasātale 'dhaḥ kṛtaśabdasaṃtatam śvāsānilārtāḥ paritaḥ prayānti siddhā jane ye niyataṃ vasanti

Translation

Struck by the sharp tips of hooves, the waters rush downward into Rasātala, raising an unbroken rumbling roar. Troubled by that wind of breath and the ceaseless sound, the Siddhas who dwell eternally in Siddha-loka move about on every side.

Word by Word

• प्रयान्ति: they go, they move
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तोयानि: waters
• तोयानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• खुराग्र-विक्षते: in/at the place wounded by the hoof-tip
• खुराग्र-विक्षते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्षत (कृदन्त, √क्षत्/क्षन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (खुरस्य अग्रेण विक्षते = 'wounded by the tip of the hoof')

• रसातले: in Rasātala (netherworld)
• रसातले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अधः: downwards, below
• अधः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• कृत-शब्द-संततम्: a continuous sound/roar produced
• कृत-शब्द-संततम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त, √कृ) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + संतत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (कृतः शब्दानां संततः = 'having a continuous made sound')

• श्वास-अनिल-आर्ताः: distressed by the breath-wind
• श्वास-अनिल-आर्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + अनिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त, √अर्द्/आर्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुषः (श्वासस्य अनिलेन आर्ताः = 'distressed by the wind of breath')

• परितः: all around
• परितः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• प्रयान्ति: they go, they move
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सिद्धाः: the Siddhas
• सिद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जने: in the world/among people
• जने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• नियतं: constantly, regularly
• नियतं: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (used adverbially), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• वसन्ति: they dwell
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Account of cosmic structure and the Varāha episode within creation narrative

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Varaha

Purpose: Varāha’s cosmic movement causes the nether waters to surge, signaling the Earth-rescue upheaval within the layered worlds.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of the lokas and re-establishment of terrestrial order (bhū-dhāraṇa)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rasatala
• Siddhas
• Siddha-loka

FAQs

What is the significance of Rasātala in the Vishnu Purana?

Rasātala is one of the nether regions (Pātāla-realms); this verse highlights its role in the Purāṇic cosmic map where downward-flowing waters and subterranean phenomena are described as part of an ordered universe.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic disturbance in these realms?

He frames it as a physical-cosmic process—waters driven downward with continuous sound and gusting airs—affecting even exalted beings like Siddhas, showing that all lokas operate under fixed cosmic laws.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when describing geography and natural forces, the Vishnu Purana implies a cosmos that is structured and sustained by the Supreme—Vishnu—whose sovereignty underwrites the stability and interconnection of all worlds.