Varaha Purana 137.180: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 180

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

तत्र राजा महाभागः स्वधर्मकृतनिश्चयः ॥ ब्रह्मदत्तेति विख्यातः पुरं काम्पिल्लमास्थितः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 137.180

Transliteration

tatra rājā mahābhāgaḥ svadharmakṛtaniścayaḥ || brahmadatteti vikhyātaḥ puraṁ kāmpillam āsthitaḥ

Translation

वहाँ एक बड़ा भगवान-भक्त राजा था। अपना धरम निभाता था पूरा। उसका नाम ब्रह्मदत्त था। वो काम्पिल्ला शहर में रहता था।

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Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-bhāgaḥ: very fortunate/noble
• mahā-bhāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (विशेषण-विशेष्य), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-dharma-kṛta-niścayaḥ: one whose resolve was made regarding his own duty
• sva-dharma-kṛta-niścayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (√kṛ कृ धातु, क्त) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि: यस्य स्वधर्मे कृतः निश्चयः), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahma-datta-iti: (called) ‘Brahmadatta’
• brahma-datta-iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + datta (√dā दा धातु, क्त) + iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle with name (इति-निपात; ‘(named) Brahmadatta’)

• vikhyātaḥ: renowned/known
• vikhyātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√khyā (ख्या धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• puram: city
• puram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāmpillam: Kāmpilla (name of a city)
• kāmpillam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmpilla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); proper place-name

• āsthitaḥ: having taken up/residing in
• āsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narrator (speaker not explicit; narrative geography)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Purāṇic Genealogy
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It anchors the narrative in a named royal figure and a specific city, a common Purāṇic method for linking ethical narratives to remembered places.

Which geographic location is identified?

Kāmpilla—commonly identified with Kampil in present-day Uttar Pradesh (Farrukhabad district) in historical-geographical scholarship.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The king is characterized as committed to svadharma, presenting royal responsibility as grounded in duty and resolve.