Varaha Purana 138.36: Adhyaya 138, Shloka 36

The Episode of the Khañjarīṭa Bird

and the Saukarava Tīrtha’s Merit

Devanagari script

ततः पुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा मम कर्मपरायणौ ॥ करुणं परिदेवन्तौ रुदन्तौ तावुभौ तथा ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 138.36

Transliteration

tataḥ putra-vacaḥ śrutvā mama karma-parāyaṇau || karuṇaṃ paridevantau rudantau tāv ubhau tathā ||

Translation

पुत्र की बात सुनकर दोनों रोए। वो अपना काम करते थे पर बहुत दुखी हो गए और ज़ोर से रोए।

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Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kala/Sequence (काल/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘then/thereupon’

• पुत्रवचः: the son’s words
• पुत्रवचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य वचः)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु) + क्त्वा (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having heard’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कर्मपरायणौ: both devoted to (their) duty
• कर्मपरायणौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणि परायणौ/कर्मपरायणौ) meaning ‘devoted to duty’; refers to two persons

• करुणम्: piteous(ly), compassionate
• करुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adverbial use ‘piteously’ qualifying paridevantau/rudantau

• परिदेवन्तौ: lamenting
• परिदेवन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-dev (देव्/दिव् धातु in sense ‘lament’) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘lamenting’

• रुदन्तौ: weeping
• रुदन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rud (रुद् धातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘crying’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; demonstrative ‘those two’

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘both’

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय; ‘thus/so’

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Narrative Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a common Purāṇic narrative move: emotional response is used to stage ethical conflict between household duty (karma) and spiritual/geo-sacral aspiration.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is named in this pāda; it narratively bridges the earlier mention of Nārāyaṇa-kṣetra/Saukarava and the ensuing dialogue.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It emphasizes the seriousness of decisions that affect dependents, acknowledging emotional and social consequences as part of ethical evaluation.