Varaha Purana 187.28: Adhyaya 187, Shloka 28

Determination of the Origin and Procedure of the Ancestral Offering

Pitṛyajña/Śrāddha

Devanagari script

वर्षाणां च सहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा वसुन्धरे ॥ मृत्युकालमनुप्राप्तस्ततः पञ्चत्वमागतः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 187.28

Transliteration

varṣāṇāṁ ca sahasrāṇi tapas taptvā vasundhare || mṛtyukālam anuprāptas tataḥ pañcatvam āgataḥ

Translation

हे धरती, उसने हज़ारों साल तक तपस्या की। जब उसका वक़्त आया, वो मर गया और पाँच तत्व में मिल गया।

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Word by Word

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म/Object of duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तप्त्वा: having practised (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having performed austerity'

• वसुन्धरे: O Earth
• वसुन्धरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मृत्यु-कालम्: the time of death
• मृत्यु-कालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('time of death')

• अनुप्राप्तः: having reached
• अनुप्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे: 'having reached/attained'

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-प्रभव-अव्यय (adverb: 'then/thereupon')

• पञ्चत्वम्: the state of being five elements (death)
• पञ्चत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state/condition)

• आगतः: came to / attained
• आगतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि: 'having come/attained'

Speaker

Varāha (default, dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Sanskrit Philology
• Indian Philosophy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Sanskrit narrative closure: even extraordinary ascetics remain subject to mṛtyu (death), and the body is described as returning to elemental composition (pañcatva).

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place is named; ‘Vasundharā’ is a vocative address to Earth as a dialogic participant.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It underscores impermanence: disciplined effort is meaningful, yet embodied life is finite—encouraging reflective detachment and responsible action within time.