Varaha Purana 95.32: Adhyaya 95, Shloka 32

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

Uttara Bhāga · Devī–Rudra Saṁvāda (Kālarātri episode)

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । भक्ष्यार्थमासां देवेश किञ्चिद् दातुमिहार्हसि । बलात्कुर्वन्ति मामेता भक्षार्थिन्यो महाबलाः । अन्यथा मामपि बलाद् भक्षयिष्यन्ति मां प्रभो ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 95.32

Transliteration

devyuvāca | bhakṣyārtham āsāṁ deveśa kiñcid dātum ihārhasi | balāt kurvanti mām etā bhakṣārthinyo mahābalāḥ | anyathā mām api balād bhakṣayiṣyanti māṁ prabho ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

देवी ने कहा, देवों के राजा, इनको खाने के लिए कुछ दे दो। यह लोग बड़े ताकत वाले हैं, खाना माँग रहे हैं, मुझपे जबरदस्ती कर रहे हैं। नहीं तो प्रभु, यह मुझे भी जबरदस्ती से खा जायेंगे।

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Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)

• uvāca: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: vac (धातु)

• bhakṣya-artham: for food (for eating)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भक्ष्यस्य अर्थः)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Root: bhakṣya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)

• āsām: of these (fem.)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)

• kiñcit: something
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-परिमाण (indefinite)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: kiñcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

• dātum: to give
• Type: Verb
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमुन्)
• Role: Kriya-artha (क्रियार्थ/उद्देश्य)
• Root: dā (धातु)

• iha: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: iha (अव्यय)

• arhasi: you ought / you are fit
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: arh (धातु)

• balāt: by force
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (as adverbial ablative: 'by force')
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)

• kurvanti: they do / they make
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: kṛ (धातु)

• mām: me
• Type: Noun
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• etāḥ: these (women)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• bhakṣa-arthinyaḥ: seeking food
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (भक्षं अर्थयन्ति इति)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + arthin (प्रातिपदिक)

• mahābalāḥ: very strong
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् बलं यस्याः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)

• anyathā: otherwise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: otherwise)
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)

• mām: me
• Type: Noun
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• api: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Root: api (अव्यय)

• balāt: by force
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial ablative)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhakṣayiṣyanti: they will eat/devour
• Type: Verb
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)

• mām: me
• Type: Noun
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• prabho: O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• devyuvāca = devī + uvāca
• bhakṣyārtham = bhakṣya-artham
• ihārhasi = iha + arhasi
• balāt-kurvanti = balāt + kurvanti
• bhakṣārthinyo = bhakṣa-arthinyaḥ
• mamāpi = mām + api
• balād bhakṣayiṣyanti (no internal sandhi beyond padaccheda)

Speaker and setting

Bhayanaka and Karuna rasaSetting: Mythic crisis-court

Speaker

Devī

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She worships

Her state of mind

Fearful, coerced, seeking protection

What she asks

How can I protect myself and satisfy dependents without being harmed—please provide food/means?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of power and protection

Subjects

Conflict escalationSustenance and coercionAppeal to higher authority

Core idea

Need does not justify violence; the vulnerable seek refuge in a higher protector when coercion threatens.

In practice

Address scarcity early; establish protective boundaries and just distribution so desperation does not become predation.

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Śākta narrative
• Ethics of power (descriptive)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates Purāṇic narrative use of coercion and protection themes, showing how divine hierarchy is invoked to resolve social disorder within mythic frames.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, it critiques coercive taking and frames provision and protection as stabilizing responses to threatened harm.