Varaha Purana 116.45: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 45

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Devanagari script

यश्चात्मा वै समश्नाति ततः सौख्यतरं नु किम् ॥ प्रविष्टस्त्वतिथिर्यस्य निराशो यन्न गच्छति ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.45

Transliteration

yaś cātmā vai samaśnāti tataḥ saukhyataraṃ nu kim || praviṣṭas tv atithir yasya nirāśo yan na gacchati ||

Translation

Jo insaan apna pet bhar ke khata hai, usse zyada khush aur kaun ho sakta hai? Aur us ghar mein mehman aata hai aur khali haath wapas nahi jata, us ghar wale se bada khush aur kaun?

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Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ātmā: self / he himself
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/assurance

• samaśnāti: eats (together/fully)
• samaśnāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with upasarga sam- (सम्)

• tataḥ: therefore / from that
• tataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• saukhyataraṃ: more pleasant / happier
• saukhyataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); comparative (तरप्)

• nu: then / indeed (in question)
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) interrogative/emphatic

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• praviṣṭaḥ: having entered
• praviṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-viṣṭa (कृदन्त; √viś)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'having entered'

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) adversative/emphatic

• atithiḥ: guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirāśaḥ: disappointed / without hope
• nirāśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of 'atithiḥ'

• yat: because (that) / such that
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); correlates with reason/condition

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• gacchati: goes / leaves
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker for this nīti sequence)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharmaśāstra-related ethics
• Purāṇic Nīti

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves the classical South Asian ideal of atithi-satkāra (guest-care) and moderation in consumption—values central to household ethics across Purāṇic and Dharmaśāstra traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; the verse is normative and household-centered.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Practice moderation in personal consumption and ensure that guests leave satisfied—hospitality is presented as a high ethical good.