Varaha Purana 139.31: Adhyaya 139, Shloka 31

The Glory of Varāha’s Rite: Merits of Cow-dung Plastering, Sweeping, Singing, Instrumental Music, and Dance

with a Truth-Vow Exemplum

Pūrva Bhāga · Bhakti–Gīta-prabhāva (Narrative Time Marker)

Devanagari script

कौमुदस्य तु मासस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशी ॥ सुप्ते गते येन जाते वीणामादाय चङ्क्रमात् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 139.31

Transliteration

kaumudasya tu māsasya śuklapakṣe tu dvādaśī || supte gate yena jāte vīṇām ādāya caṅkramāt ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

फिर कौमुद महीने में, जब चाँद रोशनी में आता है, बारहवीं तारीक को, जब नींद टूट गई और वो उठ गया, उसने वीणा उठाई और चलने लगा।

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Word by Word

• कौमुदस्य: of the Kārttika/Kaumuda (month)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मासस्य)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Root: कौमुद (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• मासस्य: of the month
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)

• शुक्ल-पक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुक्लः पक्षः = bright fortnight)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात (particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• द्वादशी: the twelfth lunar day
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तिथि-नाम
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time marker)
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)

• सुप्ते: when (he was) asleep
• Type: Verb
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used as locative absolute; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)

• गते: when (it had) gone/passed
• Type: Verb
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; लोकेटिव-अब्सोल्यूट (when (time) had passed)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Root: गम् (धातु)

• येन: by which/whereby
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative: by which/whereby)
• Role: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• जाते: when it happened
• Type: Verb
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; लोकेटिव-अब्सोल्यूट (when it occurred)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Root: जन् (धातु)

• वीणाम्: a vīṇā (lute)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having taken)
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)

• चङ्क्रमात्: he walked about
• Type: Verb
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: चङ्क्रम् (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• वीणामादाय = वीणाम् + आदाय
• चङ्क्रमात् is finite verb (aorist/imperf. usage) from चङ्क्रम्
• supte/gate/jāte form a locative-absolute chain

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasaSetting: Sacred path / hermitage precinct

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Attentive, inquisitive

What she asks

Which tithi and month frame the devotee’s observance, and what is the ritual sequence (waking, taking vīṇā, moving about)?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ritualized devotion (kāla-niyama)

Subjects

Calendar/Time-reckoningDevotional PracticeHeritage of Ritual Observance

Core idea

Kāla (sacred time) and niyama (discipline) structure bhakti, turning ordinary acts (walking, music) into worship.

In practice

Keep devotional routines aligned with lunar calendar observances; integrate art (music) into sādhana with regularity.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha instructs Bhū-devī with calendrical precision, setting the ritual time for the devotee’s action.

Dharma

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Indian Calendrics
• Music and Devotion

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides calendrical and ritual-temporal framing typical of Purāṇic storytelling, linking devotional acts to specific lunar observances.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named; the verse emphasizes time (tithi/fortnight/month) rather than place.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The narrative highlights disciplined observance and purposeful action at ritually significant times.