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Varaha Purana 37.1: Adhyaya 37, Shloka 1

The Threefold Discipline (Mental, Physical, Verbal) and the Salvific Power of Hearing Nārāyaṇa’s Name

धरण्युवाच । कथमाराध्यसे देव भक्तिमद्भिर्नरैर्विभो । स्त्रीभिर्वा सर्वमेतन्मे शंस त्वं भूतभावन ॥ ३७.१ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 37.1

dharaṇyuvāca | katham ārādhyase deva bhaktimadbhir narair vibho | strībhir vā sarvam etan me śaṁsa tvaṁ bhūtabhāvana || 37.1 ||

धरणी ने पूछा, भगवान, लोग तुम्हे कैसे भक्ति करते हैं? और औरतें कैसे करें? सब मुझे बता दो, तुम जो सब जीवों को पालते हो।

धरणीDharanī (Earth)
धरणी:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootधरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
कथम्how
कथम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
आराध्यसेare you worshipped
आराध्यसे:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-राध् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present/लट्), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे (passive sense: ‘you are worshipped’)
देवO god
देव:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भक्तिमद्भिःby the devoted
भक्तिमद्भिः:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeAdjective
Rootभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय)
Formमतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (possessive adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन
नरैःby men
नरैः:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootनर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
विभोO all-pervading one
विभो:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootविभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन
स्त्रीभिःby women
स्त्रीभिः:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)
सर्वम्all
सर्वम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) ‘एतत्’
एतत्this (matter)
एतत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me) अधिकम्
शंसtell/declare
शंस:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootशंस् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भूत-भावनO nurturer of beings
भूत-भावन:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + भावन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘bhūtānāṃ bhāvanaḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Dharanī / Pṛthivī (Earth)

C
Classical Literature
P
Purāṇic Studies
V
Vaiṣṇavism
S
Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

It frames a didactic dialogue typical of Purāṇic literature: the Earth (Dharanī/Pṛthivī) functions as an inquirer, prompting a systematic exposition of devotional and ritual practice.

No specific place-name or sacred site is mentioned in this verse; the focus is on the general question of worship practice by different social categories.

The verse emphasizes inclusive access to devotional practice by asking explicitly about worship by both men and women, presenting devotion as a broadly applicable discipline rather than a restricted privilege.

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