Varaha Purana 120.18: Adhyaya 120, Shloka 18

Procedure for the Three Daily Twilight Mantra-Observance

Uttara Bhāga · Deathbed Recollection (maraṇa-kāla) and non-forgetfulness

Devanagari script

एतन्मरणकालेऽपि गुह्यं विष्णुप्रभाषितम् ॥ बुद्ध्या धारयितव्यं न विस्मर्तव्यं कदाचन ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 120.18

Transliteration

etan maraṇakāle 'pi guhyaṃ viṣṇuprabhāṣitam | buddhyā dhārayitavyaṃ na vismartavyaṃ kadācana |

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

मौत के वक़्त भी यह बात याद रखनी है जो विष्णु ने बताई थी। इसको दिल में बसा के रखना, कभी भूलना नहीं।

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Word by Word

• etat: this
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)

• maraṇa-kāle: at the time of death
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मरणस्य कालः)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: maraṇa + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)

• api: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (भावबोधक)
• Root: api (अव्यय)

• guhyam: secret teaching
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)

• viṣṇu-prabhāṣitam: spoken by Viṣṇu
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; क्त (past passive participle) from धातु √भाष् with उपसर्ग प्र; समासः तत्पुरुष (विष्णुना प्रभाषितम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: viṣṇu + pra-bhāṣita (प्रातिपदिक)

• buddhyā: with intellect
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)

• dhārayitavyam: must be retained/held
• Type: Verb
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (to be held/retained)
• Role: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) + dhārayitavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)
• Role: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Root: na (अव्यय)

• vismartavyam: must not be forgotten
• Type: Verb
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग वि; निषेधेन सह (must not be forgotten)
• Role: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + vismartavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• kadācana: ever / at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kāla (काल)
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• मरणकालेऽपि = मरणकाले + अपि

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Karuna rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Concerned about final-moment remembrance; seeking assurance

What she asks

What must be remembered and held firmly even at death to secure the highest good?

The teaching

Path

Deathbed Soteriology

Subjects

EthicsYogaSoteriology (liberation discourse)

Core idea

Never-forgetting (avismṛti) of the Viṣṇu-taught secret is itself a liberating discipline; memory is treated as a spiritual faculty to be trained.

In practice

Daily repetition and contemplation so the teaching becomes spontaneous at crisis; cultivate smṛti through japa, reflection, and aligning actions with the teaching so it surfaces naturally at death.

Symbolism of the boar

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Memory and Practice

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a widespread South Asian textual motif: deathbed recollection as a culminating test of long-term practice and memorization.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Consistency: cultivate remembrance so thoroughly that it remains available even in extreme conditions.