Varaha Purana 114.54: Adhyaya 114, Shloka 54

The Varāha Incarnation and Pṛthivī’s Inquiries on Ritual Procedure and Devotional Outcomes

Devanagari script

भस्माकुलेषु निक्षिप्य कथं चाग्नौ प्रपद्यते ॥ कां गतिं प्रतिपद्यन्ते त्वद्भक्ता जलमास्थिताः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 114.54

Transliteration

bhasmākuleṣu nikṣipya kathaṃ cāgnau prapadyate || kāṃ gatiṃ pratipadyante tvadbhaktā jalamāsthitāḥ

Translation

जब किसी को राख में डाल दिया जाए, तो अग्नि में कैसे जाए? और तुम्हारे भक्त जब पानी में जाते हैं, वो कहाँ पहुँचते हैं?

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Word by Word

• bhasma-ākuleṣu: in (places/bodies) covered with ashes
• bhasma-ākuleṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasma + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'bhasmanā ākulāḥ' (covered with ashes)

• nikṣipya: having cast/placed
• nikṣipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√kṣip (धातु: क्षिप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय: ल्यप्), 'having thrown/placed'

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (interrogative adverb)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-nipāta

• agnau: in fire
• agnau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana

• prapadyate: enters; attains; resorts to
• prapadyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√pad (धातु: पद्)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• kām: which? what?
• kām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; interrogative adjective qualifying 'gatiṃ'

• gatiṃ: state; destiny; course
• gatiṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• pratipadyante: attain; reach
• pratipadyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√pad (धातु: पद्)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; Ātmanepada

• tvat-bhaktāḥ: your devotees
• tvat-bhaktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'tava bhaktāḥ'

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• āsthitāḥ: having entered; having taken refuge in
• āsthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āsthita (कृदन्त; धातु: आ-√sthā/स्था)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agrees with 'tvat-bhaktāḥ'

Speaker

Pṛthivī (inquirer; default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ritual Discourse
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Antyeṣṭi (funerary themes)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a strand of Purāṇic concern with varied death-scenarios and how devotional identity is thought to affect post-mortem destiny.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific sacred site or geographic locale is named here; the imagery is ritual-elemental (fire, water, ashes).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds concern for the fate of devotees across circumstances, emphasizing the moral-spiritual dimension beyond ritual contingency.