Varaha Purana 4.13: Adhyaya 4, Shloka 13

On Nārāyaṇa’s Ten Avatāras and Eightfold Manifestations, and the Account of King Aśvaśirā

Pūrva Bhāga · Prithvī-uddhāra and Royal Dharma Narratives

Devanagari script

आसीदश्वशिरा नाम राजा परमधार्मिकः । सोऽश्वमेधेन यज्ञेन यष्ट्वा सुबहुदक्षिणः ॥ ४.१३ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 4.13

Transliteration

āsīd aśvaśirā nāma rājā paramadhārmikaḥ | so ’śvamedhena yajñena yaṣṭvā subahudakṣiṇaḥ || 4.13 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

उस राजा का नाम अश्वशिरा था। वो धरम के काम में बहुत लगा रहता था। उसने अश्वमेध यज्ञ किया और बहुत लोगों को दान दिया।

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Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• Type: Verb
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• अश्वशिराः: Aśvaśirā (name of a king)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः अश्व + शिरस् (अश्वस्य शिर इव/अश्वशिरः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: अश्वशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• नाम: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात (particle indicating name)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)

• राजा: king
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• परमधार्मिकः: supremely righteous
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः परम + धार्मिक (अत्यन्तं धार्मिकः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: परमधार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अश्वमेधेन: by the Aśvamedha
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः अश्व + मेध (अश्वस्य मेधः)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)

• यज्ञेन: by a sacrifice
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)

• यष्ट्वा: having performed (the sacrifice)
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having sacrificed’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Root: यज् (धातु)

• सुबहुदक्षिणः: one who gave very many fees (donations)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः—सुबह्व्यः दक्षिणाः यस्य सः
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: सु-बहु-दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• सोऽश्वमेधेन = सः + अश्वमेधेन

Speaker and setting

Vira and Shanta rasaSetting: Ritual site

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma (karma-yoga orientation)

Subjects

EthicsKingshipRitual CultureHistorical Memory

Core idea

Righteous power is stabilized by sacrifice and giving, not by force alone.

In practice

Support learned priests/teachers and public rites through ethical patronage; treat wealth as a means for dharma.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa Studies
• Dharma Traditions
• Vedic Ritual Reception

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic memory of idealized kingship: a ruler characterized by dharma and by public ritual patronage, reflecting how later Sanskrit traditions framed political legitimacy and generosity.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is explicitly named in this verse; it functions as narrative setup centered on a king and a major ritual (Aśvamedha).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds two virtues of rulership: commitment to dharma (paramadhārmika) and generosity through sanctioned giving (abundant dakṣiṇā) associated with public rites.