Varaha Purana 170.8: Adhyaya 170, Shloka 8

The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship

including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics

Pūrva Bhāga · Gokarṇa Episode (Inquiry and Compassionate Address)

Devanagari script

जातहार्दः प्रियं चेष्टं शनैः स्त्रियमथाब्रवीत् ॥ का त्वं कस्यासि सुभगे किमर्थं रोदिषि स्वयम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 170.8

Transliteration

jātahārdaḥ priyaṁ ceṣṭaṁ śanaiḥ striyam athābravīt || kā tvaṁ kasyāsi subhage kimarthaṁ rodiṣi svayam

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

रिशि को उसपर प्यार आ गया। धीरे से उसने उस औरत से पूछा, तुम कौन हो? तुम्हारा घर कहाँ है? अकेले क्यों रो रही हो?

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Word by Word

• जात-हार्दः: whose compassion had arisen
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य हार्दं जातम् = whose compassion has arisen), विशेषण (qualifying speaker)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta—qualifier)
• Root: जात (√जन् धातोः क्त/कृदन्त) + हार्द (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रियम्: kind/pleasant
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वचः/उक्तम् implied)
• Role: कर्म (Karma—qualifier)
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)
• Role: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• इष्टम्: pleasing/desired
• Type: Adjective
• Form: कृदन्त; √इष्/इच्छ् (इष्ट = desired/pleasing, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वचः/उक्तम् implied)
• Role: कर्म (Karma—qualifier)
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)

• शनैः: gently
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (softly/slowly)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)

• स्त्रियम्: to the woman / the woman
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)
• Role: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)

• का: who (fem.)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम
• Role: कर्ता (Karta—predicate nominative)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Form: मध्यमपुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• कस्य: of whom/whose
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• असि: are
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• सुभगे: O fortunate one
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Root: सुभगा (प्रातिपदिक)

• किम्-अर्थम्: why/for what reason
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (for what reason/why)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial—reason)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)

• रोदिषि: do you cry
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)
• Root: रुद् (धातु)

• स्वयम्: by yourself/yourself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक/स्वतन्त्रता (oneself/by yourself)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• अथाब्रवीत् = अथ + अब्रवीत्
• किमर्थं = किम्-अर्थम् (अव्ययीभाव)
• जातहार्दः = जात-हार्दः (बहुव्रीहि)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasaSetting: Tīrtha/temple precinct

Speaker

Muni (as reported by Varāha)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-bhakti synthesis

Subjects

Ethics (Compassionate Speech)Narrative DialogueSocial Identity Inquiry

Core idea

Ritual action (upacāra) becomes spiritually potent when joined with devotion and shared household dharma.

In practice

Perform worship with regularity: bodily purity (snāna), light (dīpa), generosity (upahāra), praise (stotra), and inner repetition (japa), ideally with family concord.

Dharma

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Discourse Ethics
• Compassion (Hārda/Karuṇā)
• Counseling Motif

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a classical narrative ethic: the wise figure initiates aid through gentle questioning, reflecting norms of courteous speech and social identification in Sanskrit storytelling.

Which geographic location is identified?

No new location is specified in this verse; it continues within the established Mathurā-region narrative setting.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Approaching suffering with tenderness, respectful address, and non-coercive inquiry—an ethic of compassionate communication.