Varaha Purana 172.4: Adhyaya 172, Shloka 4

The Harm of Destroying a Grove and the Merit of Tree-Planting as Pūrta-Dharma

Devanagari script

विवर्णं वदना दीनाः भग्नालङ्कारवाससः ॥ हीनाङ्गा लुञ्चितशिरः केशपक्ष्मनखादयः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 172.4

Transliteration

vivarṇaṃ vadanā dīnā bhagnālaṅkāravāsasaḥ || hīnāṅgā luñcitaśiraḥ keśapakṣmanakhādayaḥ ||

Translation

उनका चेहरा उदास था। गेहने और कपड़े टूटे हुए थे। उनका बदन कमज़ोर हो गया था। बाल, पलकें, नाखून सब बिखरा हुआ था।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• vivarṇam: discolored/pale
• vivarṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/भावे (describing appearance: ‘discolored’)

• vadanāḥ: (with) faces
• vadanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; descriptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (स्त्रीवाचक-समूहः; ‘faces’/‘face-bearing ones’)

• dīnāḥ: wretched/dejected
• dīnāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying devyaḥ understood)

• bhagna-alaṅkāra-vāsasaḥ: with broken ornaments and garments
• bhagna-alaṅkāra-vāsasaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagna (कृदन्त) + alaṅkāra + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-तत्पुरुष-संकरः)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘भग्नौ अलङ्कारौ च वासांसि च यस्याः/यासाम्’ इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीह्यर्थक-विशेषणम्; पाठानुसार रूपम् -asaḥ

• hīna-aṅgāḥ: maimed/with limbs diminished
• hīna-aṅgāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुषार्थ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यासाम् अङ्गानि हीनानि’

• luñcita-śiraḥ: with torn/plucked heads (hair)
• luñcita-śiraḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: luñcita (कृदन्त; √luñc) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यासां शिरः लुञ्चितम्’

• keśa-pakṣma-nakha-ādayaḥ: hair, eyelashes, nails, etc.
• keśa-pakṣma-nakha-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositional list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa + pakṣman + nakha + ādi (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘hair, eyelashes, nails, etc.’ (members/parts)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Descriptive Style
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic descriptive conventions for distress—bodily and sartorial disorder signaling a narrative crisis.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse is primarily descriptive; ethically, it functions to evoke compassion and prompt inquiry into causes of suffering.