Varaha Purana 114.58: Adhyaya 114, Shloka 58

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Guhya Dharma (Esoteric/Confidential Teaching)

Devanagari script

रहस्यं धर्मसंयुक्तं तन्ममाचक्ष्व माधव ॥ एवं तत्परमं गुह्यं मम प्रीत्या जगद्गुरो

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 114.58

Transliteration

rahasyaṃ dharmasaṃyuktaṃ tanmamācakṣva mādhava || evaṃ tatparamaṃ guhyaṃ mama prītyā jagadguro

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

मुझे वो बात बताओ जो छुपी है और धरम से जुड़ी है। माधव, यह बड़ा राज़ है। जगत के गुरु, मुझपे दया करके यह बता दो।

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Word by Word

• rahasyam: secret
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular — object
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)

• dharma-saṃyuktam: connected with dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मेण/धर्मस्य संयुक्तम्) — qualifying 'rahasyam'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)

• tat: that
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular — 'that' referring to the secret
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• mama: to me / my
• Type: Noun
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular — 'to me/of me' (context: tell me)
• Role: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• ācakṣva: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada — 'tell/declare'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: ā-cakṣ (धातु)

• mādhava: O Mādhava
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular — address
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)

• evam: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'thus/in this way'
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: evam (अव्यय)

• tat-paramam: that supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः (तत् एव परमम्) — qualifying 'guhyam/rahasyam'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + parama (प्रातिपदिक)

• guhyam: the hidden (secret)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular — object/apposition to 'rahasyam'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)

• mama: my/of me
• Type: Noun
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular — 'of me/for me'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• prītyā: out of affection
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular — motive/means
• Role: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)

• jagad-guro: O teacher of the world
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः गुरुः) — address
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• tanmamācakṣva = tat mama ācakṣva
• jagadguro = jagat-guro (voc. sg.)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasa

Speaker

Pṛthivī

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She asks

Her state of mind

Curious, reverent, seeking clarification; intent on dharma-aligned secrecy

What she asks

What is the supreme, confidential teaching integrated with dharma, and how should it be rightly transmitted?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Hermeneutics of revelation

Subjects

EthicsHermeneuticsTransmission of knowledge

Core idea

Esoteric knowledge is legitimate and fruitful only when integrated with dharma and transmitted through proper pedagogical relationship.

In practice

Seek instruction with humility; teach selectively to qualified listeners; test teachings by dharma (conduct, compassion, restraint).

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Bhu-devī petitions Mādhava/Varāha to disclose a dharma-yukta rahasya; interaction is pedagogical (request for revelation).

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Pedagogy
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma Discourse

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a common Purāṇic rhetorical move: requesting “guhya/rahasya” content while asserting its alignment with dharma, reflecting norms of authorized transmission.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Confidential teachings are framed as legitimate when integrated with dharma and conveyed within a teacher–disciple relationship.