Varaha Purana 21.3: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 3

The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari-Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share

Pūrva Bhāga · Genealogical and Dharma Narratives (Mūrti–Santāna Context)

Devanagari script

तस्य ब्रह्मा शुभां कन्यां भार्यार्थं मूर्त्तिसम्भवाम् । गौरी नाम्ना स्वयं देवी भारती तां ददौ पिता ॥ २१.४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 21.3

Transliteration

tasya brahmā śubhāṃ kanyāṃ bhāryārthaṃ mūrttisambhavām | gaurī nāmnā svayaṃ devī bhāratī tāṃ dadau pitā || 21.4 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ब्रह्मा ने रुद्र के लिए एक अच्छी बेटी पत्नी बनने के लिए दी। वो मूर्ति से पैदा हुई थी। उसका नाम गौरी था। भारती ने अपनी बेटी खुद दे दी।

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Word by Word

• tasya: for him / of him (Rudra)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Recipient-related)
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)

• śubhām: auspicious, beautiful
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); Viśeṣaṇa of 'kanyām'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)

• kanyām: a maiden, daughter
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhārya-artham: for (his) wife / as a bride
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyayībhāva-samāsa (अव्ययीभाव): 'bhāryāyāḥ artham' (for the purpose of a wife); Accusative used adverbially (प्रयोजनार्थे)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)

• mūrtti-sambhavām: born of Mūrti
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष): 'mūrteḥ sambhavā' (born of Mūrti); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies 'kanyām'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhava (प्रातिपदिक)

• gaurī: Gaurī
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); name/apposition of the maiden
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)

• nāmnā: by name
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); 'by name' usage
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Means—designation)
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)

• svayam: herself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Emphatic adverb (स्वयम्)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Emphasis)
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)

• devī: the goddess
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to 'bhāratī'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhāratī: Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: bhāratī (प्रातिपदिक)

• tām: her
• Type: Noun
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)

• dadau: gave
• Type: Verb
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Root: dā (धातु)

• pitā: the father
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to 'brahmā' (father)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• भार्यार्थं = भाऱ्य + अर्थम् (अव्ययीभाव)
• मूर्त्तिसम्भवाम् = मूर्त्ति + सम्भवाम्

Speaker and setting

Shringara and Shanta rasaSetting: Cosmic/atemporal

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Observer/curious; receiving genealogical linkage and dhārmic alliance narrative.

What she asks

How is Rudra integrated into cosmic order through marriage, and what is the lineage/identity of his consort Gaurī?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma of social order (saṃskāra)

Subjects

GenealogyDharma (marriage alliance)Mythic biography

Core idea

Saṃbandha (right relationship) is a vehicle of dharma; union is not merely personal but functional for loka-saṅgraha (world-order).

In practice

Treat family/partnership duties as dharmic responsibilities; align relationships with virtue and shared purpose.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Genealogies
• Vaishnavism (textual corpus)
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a common Purāṇic narrative technique: embedding social institutions (e.g., marriage alliances) within mythic genealogy, which helps scholars trace how dharma-oriented norms are narrated through divine or semi-divine lineages.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named in this verse; it is focused on lineage and marital arrangement rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse implicitly foregrounds social order through sanctioned marriage (bhāryārtha), presenting lineage continuity and familial responsibility as culturally valued principles in the narrative frame.