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Shloka 15

Varāha-avatāra: The Boar Incarnation Lifts the Earth and Slays Hiraṇyākṣa

यदोक: सर्वभूतानां मही मग्ना महाम्भसि । अस्या उद्धरणे यत्नो देव देव्या विधीयताम् ॥ १५ ॥

yad okaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ mahī magnā mahāmbhasi asyā uddharaṇe yatno deva devyā vidhīyatām

Ô maître des devas, la terre—demeure de tous les êtres—s’est engloutie dans les grandes eaux. Daigne entreprendre de la relever; par ton effort et par la miséricorde du Bhagavān, cela peut s’accomplir.

यत्which
यत्:
विशेषण (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)
ओकःdwelling, abode
ओकः:
कर्ता (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सर्वभूतानाम्of all beings
सर्वभूतानाम्:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास ('all beings'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग 'भूत' (collective), षष्ठी, बहुवचन
महीthe earth
मही:
कर्ता (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमही (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मग्नाsubmerged
मग्ना:
विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootमग्न (प्रातिपदिक; √मज्ज् धातु-निष्पन्न)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक/स्थितिवाचक विशेषण
महाम्भसिin the great waters
महाम्भसि:
अधिकरण (Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास ('great waters'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
अस्याःof this (earth)
अस्याः:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
उद्धरणेin the lifting up
उद्धरणे:
अधिकरण (Locative/occasion)
TypeNoun
Rootउद् + हृ (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय) → उद्धरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
यत्नःeffort
यत्नः:
कर्ता (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
देवO Lord
देव:
सम्बोधन (Address)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
देव्याःof the goddess (Earth)
देव्याः:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
विधीयताम्let (it) be done / be undertaken
विधीयताम्:
क्रिया (Injunctive/command)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + धा (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive voice)

The great water mentioned in this connection is the Garbhodaka Ocean, which fills half of the universe.

B
Brahmā
V
Varāha (Supreme Lord)
B
Bhūmi (Earth goddess)

FAQs

In this verse, Brahmā states that the earth has sunk into the great cosmic waters and requests the Lord to arrange her upliftment—setting the stage for the Varāha avatāra’s Bhūmi-uddharaṇa (rescue of the earth).

Because the earth, the support for all beings, had become submerged; Brahmā, responsible for secondary creation, appeals to the Supreme Lord—whose divine potency alone can restore cosmic order.

When situations feel “submerged” beyond one’s capacity, this verse models humility and prayerful dependence: do your duty, but seek the Lord’s help as the ultimate shelter and rescuer.