Varaha Purana 195.28: Adhyaya 195, Shloka 28

Description of Sinners Abiding in Yama’s Realm

Catalog of Transgressions and the Logic of Retribution

Uttara Bhāga · Dialogic Prompt (Request for Explanation)

Devanagari script

एतत्कथय वत्स त्वं यतः प्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान् ।

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 195.28

Transliteration

etat kathaya vatsa tvaṁ yataḥ pratyakṣadarśivān

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

बेटा, तुम यह सब अपनी आँखों से देख के आए हो। इसलिए तुम मुझे पूरा समझा दो कि असल में क्या हो रहा है।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• कथय: tell, relate
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imp.), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद (P.)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: कथय् (धातु; √कथ् caus.)

• वत्स: dear child
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• यतः: since, because
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: हेतु/सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (indeclinable: ‘since/because/from which’)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)

• प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शिवान्: one who has seen directly
• Type: Adjective
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘प्रत्यक्षं दर्शी’), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शिवस्/दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• एतत्कथय → एतत् कथय
• प्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान् → प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शिवान् (समास)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Dialogue-space (purāṇic kathā setting)

Speaker

Pṛthivī

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She asks

Her state of mind

Curious, seeking clarity

What she asks

Please explain the principle behind this (the prior teaching on māyā/karma), since you have direct vision (pratyakṣa-darśin).

The teaching

Path

Epistemology/pedagogy

Subjects

Dialogue structureEpistemology (pratyakṣa)Instructional narrative

Core idea

True instruction is sought from one with direct insight; inquiry (praśna) and receptivity (vinaya) are prerequisites for liberating knowledge.

In practice

Approach a competent teacher, ask precise questions, and test teachings against lived discernment; prioritize transformative knowledge over curiosity alone.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Direct dialogic engagement implied: Bhu-devī addresses the knower as ‘vat्सा’ and requests explanation.

Symbolism of the boar

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Sanskrit Philology
• Epistemology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such requests for explanation are standard narrative devices in Purāṇas, structuring teaching as a question–answer exchange to transmit doctrine and ethics.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic reference appears in this line.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It models disciplined inquiry: seeking clarification from one regarded as pratyakṣadarśin (a direct knower).