Varaha Purana 174.90: Adhyaya 174, Shloka 90

The Sanctifying Power of River Confluences: Release from the Preta-State and the Rite of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī with Vāmana Worship

Uttara Bhāga · Narrative transition (forest setting; encounter with frightening forms)

Devanagari script

अरण्ये कण्टकवृते निर्जने शब्दवर्जिते ॥ तान्दृष्ट्वा विकृताकारानतितीव्रभयङ्करान्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 174.90

Transliteration

araṇye kaṇṭakavṛte nirjane śabdavarjite || tāndṛṣṭvā vikṛtākārānatitīvrabhayaṅkarān

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

एक जंगल में काँटे बिखरे हैं। वहाँ कोई नहीं रहता, आवाज़ भी नहीं आती। वहाँ ऐसे लोग देखे जाते हैं जो डरावने लगते हैं। उनका रूप बिगड़ा हुआ है, देख के बहुत डर लगता है।

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Word by Word

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/locative), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• कण्टक-वृते: surrounded by thorns
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कण्टकैः वृतम्); कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• निर्जने: in a lonely/deserted (place)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अरण्ये इत्यस्य)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)

• शब्द-वर्जिते: devoid of sound
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शब्देन वर्जितम् = devoid of sound); कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• तान्: them
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/acc.), बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’
• Role: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Root: दृश् (धातु)

• विकृत-आकारान्: of distorted forms
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/acc.), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (विकृतः आकारः येषाम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: विकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)

• अति-तीव्र-भयङ्करान्: extremely terrifying
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (अतितीव्रं भयम् करोति इति; ‘extremely terrifying’)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: अति (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भयङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• कण्टकवृते = कण्टक-वृते
• शब्दवर्जिते = शब्द-वर्जिते
• तान्दृष्ट्वा = तान् + दृष्ट्वा
• विकृताकारान् = विकृत-आकारान्
• अतितीव्रभयङ्करान् = अति-तीव्र-भयङ्करान्

Speaker and setting

Bhayanaka and Bibhatsa rasaSetting: Forest/wilderness

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Moral psychology (fear as karmic mirror)

Subjects

Narrative LiteratureEthicsCultural Imagery of Fear/Otherworldly Beings

Core idea

Encounter with terrifying, distorted beings signals hidden causes (karma/adharma) that the narrative is about to disclose.

In practice

Treat fear-inducing visions/conditions as prompts for self-examination and seeking instruction/remedy rather than panic.

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Poetics (Descriptive Setting)
• Indic Demonology (as literary motif)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic narrative style through environmental description (austere forest imagery) used to frame ethical or ritual instruction that follows.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific named location; it is a generic araṇya (forest) setting typical of Sanskrit narrative geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse itself sets atmosphere rather than prescribing conduct; it prepares the reader for a causal explanation and ensuing norms in subsequent verses.