Varaha Purana 24.2: Adhyaya 24, Shloka 2

The Birth of the Nāgas, Brahmā’s Curse, and the Pañcamī Observance

Pūrva Bhāga · Narratives on Deities and Royal Inquiry (Dialogic Frame)

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच । श्रुत्वा गणपतेर्जन्म प्रजापालो नराधिपः । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा तं मुनिं संहितव्रतम् ॥ २४.२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 24.2

Transliteration

śrīvarāha uvāca | śrutvā gaṇapater janma prajā pālo narādhipaḥ | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā taṃ muniṃ saṃhitavratam || 24.2 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

वराह ने कहा, गणेश के जनम के बारे में सुनके राजा प्रजापाल ने उस रिशि से बात की। वो रिशि अपने व्रत में बहुत पक्का था। राजा ने आराम से बात की।

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Word by Word

• श्री-वराहः: Śrī Varāha
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् वराहः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + वराह (प्रातिपदिक)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having heard)
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Root: श्रु (धातु)

• गणपतेः: of Gaṇapati
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: गणपति (प्रातिपदिक)

• जन्म: birth
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रजापालः: protector of subjects (Prajāpāla)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रजानां पालः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)

• नराधिपः: king
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् अधिपः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (वाचया सह)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)

• वाचा: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तम्: that (him)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)

• मुनिम्: sage
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)

• संहित-व्रतम्: of disciplined/regulated vows
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘संहितं व्रतं यस्य’ इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीहिः सम्भवः, परन्तु रूपतः विशेषणवत् प्रयुक्तम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: संहित (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• गणपतेर्जन्म = गणपतेः + जन्म (visarga sandhi: ः + ज् → र्)

Speaker and setting

Setting: Sabha/rajadhani

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Observer; listening to Varāha’s narrated frame

What she asks

Implicit: What is the narrative lineage explaining Gaṇapati’s birth and the subsequent genealogical/cosmological points?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Epistemology of tradition

Subjects

Narrative FrameRoyal-Sage DialogueDeity Genealogy

Core idea

Purāṇic knowledge is mediated through disciplined speakers (saṃhita-vrata muni) and respectful inquiry (ślakṣṇā vācā).

In practice

Approach teachers with vinaya (refined speech) and seek knowledge through authenticated lineages of narration.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaishnavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a common Purāṇic narrative device: a royal figure engaging a disciplined sage, framing theological or genealogical material (here, Gaṇapati’s birth) within courtly and didactic discourse.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this verse; the content focuses on speakers and the dialogic setting rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds ideals of disciplined conduct (saṃhitavrata) and respectful, measured communication (ślakṣṇā vāc), presenting them as appropriate norms in scholarly and royal inquiry.