Varaha Purana 136.116: Adhyaya 136, Shloka 116

A Sūtra-like Manual of Expiations for Ritual Transgressions

Devanagari script

गृध्रस्तु सप्त वर्षाणि जायते खचरॆश्वरः ॥ चरन्तौ मानुषं मांसमुभौ तौ गृध्रजम्बुकौ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 136.116

Transliteration

gṛdhras tu sapta varṣāṇi jāyate khacareśvaraḥ || carantau mānuṣaṁ māṁsam ubhau tau gṛdhrajambukau

Translation

गिध सात साल तक आसमान में उड़ने वाले पक्षियों का राजा बनता है। वो दोनों, गिध और सियाल, घूमते रहते हैं और इंसान का मांस खाते हैं।

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Word by Word

• gṛdhraḥ: vulture
• gṛdhraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक-निपात

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Karma (कर्म/measure qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्गे ‘वर्षाणि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• jāyate: is born/becomes
• jāyate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• khacara-īśvaraḥ: lord of birds/sky-goers
• khacara-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khacara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘खचराणाम् ईश्वरः’ = lord of sky-goers/birds)

• carantau: wandering/eating (habitually)
• carantau: Karta (कर्ता/agent qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), द्विवचन; ‘उभौ तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• mānuṣam: human
• mānuṣam: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘मांसम्’

• māṁsam: flesh/meat
• māṁsam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṁsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तौ’

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• gṛdhra-jambukau: the vulture and the jackal
• gṛdhra-jambukau: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक) + jambuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Karma and Rebirth

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a Purāṇic narrative technique: moral causality is conveyed through striking rebirth imagery and liminal beings (aerial lordship, scavenging).

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

By depicting disturbing consequences, it functions as a cautionary motif about transgressive behavior and its karmic aftermath.