Varaha Purana 18.1: Adhyaya 18, Shloka 1

The Origin of Fire and the Liturgical Names of Agni

Devanagari script

प्रजापाल उवाच । कथमग्नेः समुत्पत्तिरश्विनोर्वा महामुने । गौर्याः गणपतेर्वापि नागानां वा गुहस्य च ॥ १८.१ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 18.1

Transliteration

prajāpāla uvāca | katham agneḥ samutpattir aśvinor vā mahāmune | gauryā gaṇapater vāpi nāgānāṁ vā guhasya ca || 18.1 ||

Translation

प्रजापाल ने पूछा, महा मुनि, अग्नि का जनम कैसे हुआ? अश्विनी कुमार का? गौरी से गणपति कैसे पैदा हुए? नाग का जनम कैसे हुआ? और गुहा का?

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Word by Word

• प्रजापालः: Prajāpāla (name)
• प्रजापालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः प्रजा+पाल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अग्नेः: of Agni (fire-god)
• अग्नेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• समुत्पत्तिः: origin; birth
• समुत्पत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्विनोः: of the two Aśvins
• अश्विनोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (dual)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः महा+मुनि (कर्मधारयः)

• गौर्याः: of Gaurī
• गौर्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणपतेः: of Gaṇapati
• गणपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः गण+पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/‘lord of hosts’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• नागानाम्: of the Nāgas (serpents)
• नागानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• गुहस्य: of Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

Speaker

Prajāpāla

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Sanskrit Philology
• Mythography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a common Purāṇic framing device: a named interlocutor poses structured questions about the origins of deities and mythic lineages, signaling an upcoming genealogical-cosmogonic exposition.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is explicitly mentioned in this verse; the focus is on cosmogonic and genealogical inquiry rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

No direct ethical injunction appears here; the verse functions as an inquiry that initiates doctrinal narration, emphasizing the epistemic value of questioning and transmission of traditional knowledge.