Varaha Purana 136.20: Adhyaya 136, Shloka 20

A Sūtra-like Manual of Expiations for Ritual Transgressions

Pūrva Bhāga · Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava Dialogue (Yoga, Māyā, Restoration of Awareness)

Devanagari script

नष्टं मायाबलं रुद्रं सर्वभूतमहेश्वरम् ॥ ततोऽहं तत्र गत्वा तु यष्टुकामं त्र्यम्बकम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 136.20

Transliteration

naṣṭaṃ māyābalaṃ rudraṃ sarvabhūtamaheśvaram || tato'haṃ tatra gatvā tu yaṣṭukāmaṃ tryambakam

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

रुद्र की माया का बल टूट गया। वो सब जीवों के बड़े भगवान थे। फिर मैं वहाँ गया। त्र्यम्बक यज्ञ करना चाहते थे।

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Word by Word

• naṣṭam: destroyed/lost
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Kridanta, past passive participle (क्त); Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; used predicatively with implied ‘(māyābalaṃ) naṣṭam’
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / predicate of object
• Root: naś (धातु) → naṣṭa (कृदन्त)

• māyābalam: power of illusion
• Type: Noun
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘māyāyāḥ balam’; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: māyā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)

• rudram: Rudra
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / object of implied seeing/approaching
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)

• sarvabhūtamaheśvaram: the great lord of all beings
• Type: Noun
• Form: Tatpuruṣa chain (तत्पुरुष-समास): ‘sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ maheśvaraḥ’; Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; epithet of ‘rudram’
• Role: Karma (कर्म) (apposition)
• Root: sarva + bhūta + maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)

• tataḥ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya, adverb ‘then/thereupon’
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) / temporal setting
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

• aham: I
• Type: Noun
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• gatvā: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Form: Kridanta, absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ktvā); indeclinable verbal form indicating prior action
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया) (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Root: gam (धातु) → gatvā (कृदन्त)

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) with contrast/emphasis
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / discourse particle
• Root: tu (अव्यय)

• yaṣṭu-kāmam: desiring to perform a sacrifice
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): ‘yaṣṭuṃ kāmaḥ yasya’ (desirous to sacrifice); Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; qualifies ‘tryambakam’
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of object
• Root: yaṣṭu (यष्टुम्, तुमुन् from yaj धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)

• tryambakam: the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘trīṇi ambakāni yasya’ (three-eyed); Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: tri + ambaka (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• tato'haṃ → tataḥ + aham

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Deity/ritual setting (yajña-context)

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Theology of dharma and ritual fitness

Subjects

CosmologyEthics

Core idea

Even great powers can be eclipsed; dharma (yajña) requires clarity and restored inner competence.

In practice

Before undertaking vows/rituals, remove confusion and re-establish steadiness (sattva) through counsel, mantra, and right understanding.

The Varaha avatara

Aspect

Compassion

Symbolism of the boar

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates Purāṇic inter-sectarian narrative framing where major deities are portrayed within shared ethical-ritual contexts (e.g., yajña), emphasizing restoration rather than rivalry.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place-name is provided in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The passage links ritual intention (yaṣṭukāma) with the need for restored clarity, implying that correct action presupposes unobscured awareness.