Varaha Purana 95.3: Adhyaya 95, Shloka 3

The Slaying of the Daitya Ruru, the Hymn to Cāmuṇḍā/Kālarātri, and the Doctrine of the Threefold Power

Pūrva Bhāga · Battle description (chariots; martial technology)

Devanagari script

रथा रविस्यन्दनतुल्यवेगाः सुचक्रदण्डाक्षत्रिवेणुयुक्ताः । सुशस्त्रयन्त्राः परिपीडिताङ्गाः चलत्पताकास्त्वरितं विशङ्काः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 95.3

Transliteration

rathā ravisyandanatulyavegāḥ sucakradaṇḍākṣatriveṇuyuktāḥ | suśastrayantrāḥ paripīḍitāṅgāḥ calatpatākās tvaritaṁ viśaṅkāḥ ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

रथ इतने तेज़ थे जैसे सूरज का अपना रथ हो। उनके अच्छे पहिए, लकड़ी और बाँस सब ठीक लगाया गया था। हथियार और मशीन सब रेडी थी। अंदर लोग दबे थे। झंडे हवा में उड़ रहे थे। बिना किसी देर के आगे बढ़ गए।

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Word by Word

• rathāḥ: chariots
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)

• ravi-syandana-tulya-vegāḥ: having speed equal to the Sun’s chariot
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (रवेः स्यन्दनस्य तुल्यः वेगः येषाम्/येषां)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक) + syandana (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)

• su-cakra-daṇḍa-akṣa-tri-veṇu-yuktāḥ: well-equipped with wheels, poles, axles, and three bamboo-parts
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘युक्त’; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सु-चक्रादिभिः युक्ताः)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + veṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + √yuj (युज् धातु, क्त)

• su-śastra-yantrāḥ: with excellent weapons and mechanisms
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुशस्त्राणि यन्त्राणि येषाम्/येषु)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: su (अव्यय) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक) + yantra (प्रातिपदिक)

• pari-pīḍita-aṅgāḥ: with tightly bound/pressed parts
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (अङ्गानि परिपीडितानि येषाम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: pari + √pīḍ (पीड् धातु, क्त) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)

• calat-patākāḥ: with fluttering banners
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘चलत्’; तत्पुरुषः (चलन्त्यः पताकाः येषाम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: √cal (चल् धातु, शतृ) + patākā (प्रातिपदिक)

• tvaritam: swiftly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: swiftly)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक)

• viśaṅkāḥ: fearless/without hesitation
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञर्थे/वि-उपसर्गे ‘अशङ्क’ (fearless, without doubt)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: viśaṅka (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• रविस्यन्दनतुल्यवेगाः = ravi-syandana-tulya-vegāḥ
• सुचक्रदण्डाक्षत्रिवेणुयुक्ताः = su-cakra-daṇḍa-akṣa-tri-veṇu-yuktāḥ
• सुशस्त्रयन्त्राः = su-śastra-yantrāḥ
• परिपीडिताङ्गाः = pari-pīḍita-aṅgāḥ
• चलत्पताकाः = calat-patākāḥ

Speaker and setting

Vira and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Mythic battlefield

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Path

Impermanence Of Power

Subjects

Mythic WarfareMaterial CulturePoetics

Core idea

External speed, technology, and armament (ratha-yantra-śastra) do not guarantee dharmic victory; they are instruments within karma and daiva.

In practice

Cultivate inner steadiness and right intention; treat resources as tools, not as ultimate security.

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Ancient Warfare Imagery
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse is valuable for the study of Sanskrit martial lexicon and poetic similes, reflecting how Purāṇas reuse and adapt epic-era descriptive conventions.

Which geographic location is identified?

None in this verse; it is a technical-poetic description of chariots in motion.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

No explicit ethical teaching; the function is narrative intensification through imagery and technical detail.