Varaha Purana 139.84: Adhyaya 139, Shloka 84

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

with a Truth-Vow Exemplum

Devanagari script

राक्षसत्वमनुप्राप्तस्तेन दुष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ मन्त्रहीनं मया तत्र स्वरहीनं च तत्कृतम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 139.84

Transliteration

rākṣasatvam anuprāptas tena duṣṭena karmaṇā || mantrahīnaṃ mayā tatra svarahīnaṃ ca tat kṛtam ||

Translation

उस गलती की वजह से मैं राक्षस बन गया। मैंने जो यज्ञ किया, उसमें मंत्र नहीं थे। और शब्द भी गलत थे।

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Word by Word

• rākṣasatvam: demonhood
• rākṣasatvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• anuprāptaḥ: having attained
• anuprāptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√prāp (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having attained’

• tena: by that
• tena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• duṣṭena: wicked/evil
• duṣṭena: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with karmaṇā

• karmaṇā: by the act/deed
• karmaṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mantra-hīnam: devoid of mantra
• mantra-hīnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रेण हीनम्)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• svara-hīnam: devoid of proper accent/tone
• svara-hīnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वरेण हीनम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); here as object-reference

• kṛtam: was done/made
• kṛtam: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with tat

Speaker

Brahma-rākṣasa (Somaśarman)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vedic Recitation Concepts
• Karma Doctrine
• Narrative Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves technical ritual vocabulary (mantra, svara) within a Purāṇic story, showing how broader audiences were taught about liturgical precision and its perceived stakes.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The narrative links responsibility with competence: undertaking formal duties without required knowledge or care is portrayed as ethically hazardous.