Varaha Purana 137.175: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 175

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं भार्यापीडाभिपीडितः ॥ शृणु तत्त्वेन मे भद्रे शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 137.175

Transliteration

uvāca madhuraṁ vākyaṁ bhāryāpīḍābhipīḍitaḥ || śṛṇu tattvena me bhadre śubhaṁ vā yadi vāśubham

Translation

Accablé par la peine causée par son épouse, il prononça des paroles douces : «Écoute en vérité, ô noble dame, que ce soit favorable ou défavorable».

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Word by Word

• uvāca: said; spoke
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vākyam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vākyam: speech; words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म/Object) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāryā-pīḍā-abhipīḍitaḥ: oppressed by the wife’s torment
• bhāryā-pīḍā-abhipīḍitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of (implicit) saḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + abhi-√pīḍ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (bhāryāyāḥ pīḍayā abhipīḍitaḥ), PPP (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया/imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tattvena: truly; in reality
• tattvena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial use

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhadre: O auspicious lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• śubham: good; auspicious (thing)
• śubham: Karma (कर्म/Object) (what is to be heard/spoken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तार्थक अव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• aśubham: bad; inauspicious (thing)
• aśubham: Karma (कर्म/Object) (alternative to śubham)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narrator (speaker not explicit; narrative voice within the dialogue)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ethics of Communication
• Gender and Society (textual)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a common Purāṇic narrative technique: ethical teaching embedded within household situations and interpersonal speech norms.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To communicate with restraint and clarity even under emotional pressure, preparing the listener for difficult truths.