Varaha Purana 214.21: Adhyaya 214, Shloka 21

The Glory of Gokarṇa: Description of Nandikeśvara’s Boon and the Assembly of Deities on Mount Muñjavat

Uttara Bhāga · Deva–Nandin Saṃvāda (Request for confidential explanation; Brahmā responds)

Devanagari script

तन्मे कथय देवेश गुह्यं किं चास्ति शूलिनः ॥ ब्रह्मोवाच ॥ यदुक्तवान्महेशानो नाख्येयोऽस्मि पुरान्जनि ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 214.21

Transliteration

tan me kathaya deveśa guhyaṃ kiṃ cāsti śūlinaḥ || brahmovāca || yad uktavān maheśāno nākhyeyo 'smi purāñjani ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

मुझे बताओ देवता के स्वामी, शिव जी का क्या राज़ है? ब्रह्मा ने कहा, महेश ने जो बात कही थी, मैं उसे बता नहीं सकता। मैं पुरानी बात नहीं बताऊँगा।

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Word by Word

• तत्: that
• Type: Noun
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular ‘that’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मे: to me
• Type: Noun
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचन; Dative/Genitive singular ‘to me/of me’ (here: dative)
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• कथय: tell
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Imperative 2nd sg
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: कथ् (धातु)

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular; ‘lord of gods’
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: देव+ईश (प्रातिपदिक)

• गुह्यम्: the secret
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular ‘secret (thing)’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• किम्: what
• Type: Noun
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Interrogative ‘what?’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय; Conjunction
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अस्ति: is
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present 3rd sg
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• शूलिनः: of Śūlin (Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of Śūlin (Śiva)’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect 3rd sg
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• यत्: that which
• Type: Noun
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Relative pronoun ‘that which’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• उक्तवान्: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्तवत्-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having said’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• महेशानः: Mahēśāna (Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular; ‘Great Lord’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: महā+ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निषेध-निपात; Negation
• Role: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• आख्येयः: to be disclosed
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular; ‘to be told/mentionable’ (gerundive)
• Role: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Root: आख्येय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ+√ख्या)

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present 1st sg
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• पुरा: formerly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; Adverb ‘formerly’
• Role: Kāla (काल)
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)

• अञ्जनि: O Añjani
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular (proper name)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: अञ्जनि (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तन्मे = तत् + मे
• चास्ति = च + अस्ति
• ब्रह्मोवाच = ब्रह्मा + उवाच
• यदुक्तवान् = यत् + उक्तवान्
• नाख्येयोऽस्मि = न + आख्येयः + अस्मि
• पुरान्जनि = पुरा + अञ्जनि

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasa

Speaker

Brahmā (after an initial question addressed to Deveśa)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

What she asks

What is the secret (guhya) concerning Śiva (Śūlin) that led to the statement 'I am not to be disclosed'?

The teaching

Path

Theology Of Revelation

Subjects

CosmologyEthics

Core idea

Divinity may self-limit disclosure (anākhyeyatā) to protect sanctity, regulate access, or preserve the potency of a sacred locus/teaching.

In practice

Approach esoteric teachings with reverence and proper preparation; accept that some knowledge is context-bound and revealed progressively.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava Interface
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a ‘confidential discourse’ marker (guhya), important for understanding how Purāṇic texts categorize restricted knowledge and frame authority through controlled disclosure.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; the verse is concerned with secrecy and reported speech.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It highlights discretion: certain matters are presented as requiring careful transmission, implying an ethic of responsible speech and contextual disclosure.