Varaha Purana 203.43: Adhyaya 203, Shloka 43

Enumeration and Description of Classes of Sins and Their Consequences

Uttara Bhāga (traditional division; exact bhāga may vary by recension) · Karmaphala: Low status service and deficiency

Devanagari script

रूपतो गुणतो हीनो बलतः शीलतस्तथा ॥ राजभृत्या भवन्त्येते पृथिवीपरिचारकाः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 203.43

Transliteration

rūpato guṇato hīno balataḥ śīlatas tathā || rājabhṛtyā bhavanty ete pṛthivīparicārakāḥ

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

यह लोग लुक्स में, गुण में, ताकत में और करैक्टर में भी पीछे होते हैं। राजा के नौकर बन जाते हैं। ज़मीन पर काम करते हैं, छोटा-मोटा काम करते रहते हैं।

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Word by Word

• रूपतः: in appearance
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in respect of form/appearance’
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-parameter)
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)

• गुणतः: in qualities
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in respect of qualities’
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-parameter)
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)

• हीनः: deficient
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त (deficient)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: हीन (कृदन्त; √हा धातु)

• बलतः: in strength
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in strength’
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-parameter)
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)

• शीलतः: in conduct
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in conduct/character’
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-parameter)
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/also)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• राज-भृत्याः: king’s servants
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी) ‘राज्ञः भृत्याः’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• भवन्ति: become / are
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: √भू (धातु)

• एते: these
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• पृथिवी-परिचारकाः: attendants of the earth (i.e., earthly servants)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी) ‘पृथिव्याः परिचारकाः’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + परिचारक (प्रातिपदिक; from √चर् धातु, परि-उपसर्ग)

Sandhi Notes

• भवन्त्येते = भवन्ति + एते

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Karuna rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Attentive; reflecting on political order and labor

What she asks

How does moral failure translate into diminished capacities and subservient roles within the king’s polity?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma and social causality

Subjects

EthicsPolitical orderLabor and social status

Core idea

Inner virtues (śīla) and capacities (bala, guṇa) condition outer station; adharma contracts both.

In practice

Strengthen character and ethical discipline; rulers should recognize karmic vulnerability and govern with fairness, not cruelty, toward laborers.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Ancient Political Culture
• Social History of Labor

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects how Purāṇic texts map moral causality onto occupational and status outcomes, offering evidence for ideals and anxieties around service and hierarchy.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; pṛthivī is used generically as ‘the earth/land’.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse reinforces the karmic framing that harmful actions lead to diminished capacities and constrained social roles.