Varaha Purana 39.1: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

सत्यतपा उवाच । भगवन् द्वे शरीरे तु इति यत्परिकीर्तितम् । तन्मे कथय भेदं वै के ते ब्रह्मविदां वर ॥ ३९.१ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 39.1

Transliteration

satyatapā uvāca | bhagavan dve śarīre tu iti yatparikīrtitam | tan me kathaya bhedaṁ vai ke te brahmavidāṁ vara || 39.1 ||

Translation

Satyatapā dijo: «Oh Bienaventurado, se ha declarado que en verdad hay dos “cuerpos”. Te ruego que me expliques su distinción—oh el mejor entre los conocedores de Brahman».

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Word by Word

• सत्यतपाः: Satyatapas (a sage)
• सत्यतपाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन (Dual); संख्याविशेषण

• शरीरे: bodies
• शरीरे: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन (Dual)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• यत्: which/that (which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• परिकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed/mentioned
• परिकीर्तितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘has been proclaimed’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मे: to me / my
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; enclitic

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भेदम्: the distinction/difference
• भेदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• के: who
• के: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; enclitic

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ब्रह्मणः विद् (knower of Brahman)

• वर: O best/excellent one
• वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Satyatapā

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Brahmavidyā
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies the Purāṇic pedagogical style: an interlocutor frames a technical question (here, the ‘two bodies’) to elicit systematic teaching associated with brahmavidyā discourse.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it functions as a doctrinal prompt within a dialogue.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse models epistemic humility and disciplined inquiry: requesting clarification from a recognized teacher before drawing conclusions about metaphysical claims.