Varaha Purana 21.13: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 13

The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari-Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share

Pūrva Bhāga · Sarga/Ṛṣi-vaṁśa (Cosmogonic genealogies and seer-lineages)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा स्वयं मरीच्यस्तु बभूव अन्ये तथापरे । अत्रिस्तु यज्ञकर्मस्थ आग्नीध्रस्त्वङ्गिरा भवत् ॥ २१.१४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 21.13

Transliteration

brahmā svayaṁ marīcyas tu babhūva, anye tathāpare | atris tu yajñakarmastha āgnīdhras tv aṅgirā bhavat || 21.14 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Brahma khud wahan the, Marichi bhi tha. Atri yagya ka kaam kar raha tha aur Angiras ne aag sambhali.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)

• svayam: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (emphatic/reflexive adverb)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)

• marīciḥ: Marīci
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: marīci (प्रातिपदिक)

• tu: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Nipāta (contrastive particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: tu (अव्यय)

• babhūva: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (लिट्/perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)

• anye: others
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)

• tathā: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya adverb (manner)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)

• apare: others (further)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; in apposition to anye
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)

• atriḥ: Atri
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: atri (प्रातिपदिक)

• tu: and/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Nipāta
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: tu (अव्यय)

• yajña-karmasthaḥ: engaged in sacrificial duties
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of atriḥ; ‘stationed in sacrificial work’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: yajña + karma + stha (प्रातिपदिक)

• āgnīdhraḥ: the Āgnīdhra (priest)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; name of a priestly office
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: āgnīdhra (प्रातिपदिक)

• tu: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Nipāta
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: tu (अव्यय)

• aṅgirāḥ: Aṅgiras
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (Vedic-style nom. in -āḥ for -as); subject
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: aṅgiras (प्रातिपदिक)

• abhavat: was/became
• Type: Verb
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (लङ्/imperfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• marīcyas tu = marīciḥ + tu
• tathāpare = tathā + apare
• āgnīdhras tv = āgnīdhraḥ + tu
• aṅgirā bhavat = aṅgirāḥ + abhavat (visarga loss in saṁhitā)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Fire-altar complex

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Cosmic order through disciplined action

Subjects

CosmologyGenealogyRitual Culture

Core idea

When highest principles (Brahmā) and functional intelligences (ṛṣis) align, creation and ritual mutually reinforce.

In practice

Approach sacred work with both reverence (sannidhāna) and technical care (role clarity), treating ‘support roles’ (like Āgnīdhra) as essential.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Genealogies
• Sanskrit
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic archival mode: listing primordial seers and ritual roles to situate cosmological history within recognized lineages and sacrificial culture.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it focuses on persons/lineages rather than a tīrtha or region.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse does not state a direct ethical injunction; it foregrounds continuity of knowledge through seer lineages and the cultural importance of disciplined ritual practice (yajña-karma).