Varaha Purana 116.3: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 3

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Pūrva Bhāga · Sukha-duḥkha-nirūpaṇa: Dietary Restraint and Vows

Devanagari script

फलमूलानि शाकानि द्वादश्यां वा कदाचन ॥ पयोव्रतं च तत्काले पुनरेव निरामिषः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.3

Transliteration

phalamūlāni śākāni dvādaśyāṃ vā kadācana|| payovrataṃ ca tatkāle punar eva nirāmiṣaḥ

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

En el duodécimo (día), a veces (se toman) frutos, raíces y verduras; y entonces (se observa) el voto de la leche, y de nuevo se permanece sin carne.

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Word by Word

• फल-मूलानि: fruits and roots
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (फलानि च मूलानि च)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)

• शाकानि: vegetables/greens
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)
• Role: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Root: वा (अव्यय)

• कदाचन: sometimes
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (at some time)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)

• पयः-व्रतम्: milk-vow (subsisting on milk)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पयसा व्रतम् / पयः-आहारव्रतम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• तत्-काले: at that time
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (तस्मिन् काले)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (again)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थक (indeed/only)
• Role: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात-प्रयोग)
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• निरामिषः: meatless/without flesh-food
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण (without meat)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: निरामिष (प्रातिपदिक: निर् + आमिष)

Sandhi Notes

• तत्काले = तत् + काले (त् + क् संयोग)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Relieved, supportive of ecological restraint; attentive to practical rules

What she asks

What should be eaten or avoided on dvādaśī, and what vow best supports purity and devotion?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma as embodied ethics

Subjects

EthicsRitual DisciplineEcology

Core idea

Spiritual clarity is supported by sāttvika diet and periodic restraint synchronized with sacred time (tithi).

In practice

On dvādaśī: plan simple foods (phala-mūla-śāka), optionally milk-only, and avoid meat; treat restraint as offering rather than deprivation.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha instructs Bhū Devī on vrata-style dietary restraint (dvādaśī), aligning devotion with non-violence toward beings sustained by Earth.

Dharma

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Vratā Literature
• Ecological Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides textual evidence for calendrical dietary observances (dvādaśī) and specialized vows (payo-vrata) within Purāṇic practice traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Adopt restraint through regulated diet and vows, emphasizing non-harm through a non-meat regimen.