Varaha Purana 21.38: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 38

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Dakṣa–Deva-saṃvāda (Cosmic Administration Dialogue)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तास्ततो देवाः ऊचुर्मातामहं तदा । दक्ष तात किमत्रास्मत्कार्यं ब्रूहि विवक्षितम् ॥ २१.३९ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 21.38

Transliteration

evamuktās tato devā ūcur mātāmahaṃ tadā | dakṣa tāta kim atrāsmatkāryaṃ brūhi vivakṣitam || 21.39 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

यह सुन के देवते बड़े बुज़ुर्ग से बोले, दक्ष पिताजी, अब हमें क्या करना चाहिए? आप बताइए हमारे लिए क्या सही है।

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)

• उक्ताः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; 'देवाः' इत्यस्य विधेय
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण/भाव (predicate participle)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: देश/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'thereupon/from that')
• Role: क्रम/हेतु-निर्देश (sequencing)
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• देवाः: the gods
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्
• Role: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• मातामहम्: grandfather (Brahmā)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि द्वितीया-प्रयोगः)
• Role: सम्बोधन (address)
• Root: मातामह (प्रातिपदिक)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
• Role: कालाधिकरण (temporal setting)
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)

• दक्ष: O Dakṣa
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (address)
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• तात: O dear/father
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (address)
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)

• किम्: what
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक
• Role: कर्म/विषय (interrogative object/topic)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अत्र: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)
• Role: अधिकरण (locative setting)
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)

• अस्मत्: our/of us
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद
• Role: सम्बन्ध (genitive in compound)
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• कार्यम्: task/duty
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; 'अस्मत्-कार्यम्' षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (our duty/task)
• Role: विषय (topic/object of inquiry)
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रूहि: tell (us)
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्
• Role: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)

• विवक्षितम्: what is intended (to be said)
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; 'that which is intended to be said'
• Role: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Root: वि-वक्ष् (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• ऊचुर्मातामहं = ऊचुः + मातामहम् (विसर्ग-लोप)
• किमत्रास्मत्कार्यं = किम् + अत्र + अस्मत् + कार्यम् (सन्धि/समास-संयोग)

Speaker and setting

Vira and Bhayanaka rasaSetting: Assembly hall

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She asks

What she asks

What action should be undertaken on our behalf in this crisis—state the intended course.

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma of counsel and delegated duty

Subjects

CosmologyEthicsGovernance/Dharma (administrative duty)

Core idea

Even powerful agents act rightly when guided by dharmic deliberation and clear intention (vivakṣita).

In practice

Before acting in conflict, seek competent guidance, clarify objectives, and align action with collective welfare rather than impulse.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Dialogue
• Cosmic Administration

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative pattern where divine agents seek instruction from an elder authority figure, framing cosmological events through the language of duty (kārya) and deliberation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; it is set within a cosmological/assembly context rather than a site-specific (tīrtha) description.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds accountable action: before acting, the agents request clarification of the intended task, emphasizing deliberation, clear communication, and responsibility in carrying out duties.