Varaha Purana 138.47: Adhyaya 138, Shloka 47

The Episode of the Khañjarīṭa Bird

and the Saukarava Tīrtha’s Merit

Devanagari script

अहो बत महद्गुह्यं किमेतत्तात कथ्यताम् ॥ एतद्वचनमाकर्ण्य स वैश्यकुलबालकः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 138.47

Transliteration

aho bata mahadguhyaṃ kim etat tāta kathyatām || etadvacanam ākarṇya sa vaiśyakulabālakaḥ

Translation

अरे वाह, यह तो बड़ा राज़ है। यह क्या है बेटा, बताओ तो सही। यह बात सुन के उस वैश्य परिवार के लड़के ने कहा।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• अहो: oh!
• अहो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable interjection/उद्गार)

• बत: indeed / surely
• बत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bata (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (particle/निपात; emphasis)

• महत्-गुह्यम्: a great secret
• महत्-गुह्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound used as substantive; महद् qualifies गुह्यम्

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• तात: dear father / dear sir
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Vidhi (विधि/Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada; passive-style injunction: 'let it be told'

• एतत्-वचनम्: this statement
• एतत्-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of this' + 'speech'

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable; 'having heard'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• वैश्य-कुल-बालकः: the boy of a Vaiśya family
• वैश्य-कुल-बालकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa: 'of a vaiśya family' + 'boy'

Speaker

Unspecified (likely the parents addressing the boy; narrative voice continues)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Philology
• Didactic Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a typical Purāṇic narrative hinge: a ‘secret’ is announced, and a character is positioned as the transmitter of the next instruction.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location appears in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It highlights the value placed on inquiry and careful explanation in the transmission of teachings.