Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 40

Varāha-avatāra: The Boar Incarnation Lifts the Earth and Slays Hiraṇyākṣa

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्राग्रकोट्या भगवंस्त्वया धृता विराजते भूधर भू: सभूधरा । यथा वनान्नि:सरतो दता धृता मतङ्गजेन्द्रस्य सपत्रपद्मिनी ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

daṁṣṭrāgra-koṭyā bhagavaṁs tvayā dhṛtā virājate bhūdhara bhūḥ sa-bhūdharā yathā vanān niḥsarato datā dhṛtā mataṅ-gajendrasya sa-patra-padminī

Translation

大地を持ち上げる主よ。あなたが牙の先端で山々を伴う大地を支えると、それは水から今まさに上がった怒れる象王の牙に、葉を備えた蓮華が載るように、見事に輝いている。

Synonyms

• daṁṣṭrāgra-koṭyā: with the tip of (your) tusk
• daṁṣṭrāgra-koṭyā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṁṣṭrā + agra + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘दंष्ट्रायाः अग्रस्य कोट्या’ (with the tip of the tusk)

• bhagavan: O Blessed Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Agentive instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• dhṛtā: held/supported
• dhṛtā: Karma (कर्म/Object; patient)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘धृता’ = ‘held/supported’

• virājate: shines/appears splendid
• virājate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• bhūdhara: O bearer of the earth
• bhūdhara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhūḥ: the earth
• bhūḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• sa-bhūdharā: together with mountains
• sa-bhūdharā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/उपसर्गवत्) + bhūdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/उपपद-समास: ‘भूधरैः सह’ = ‘with mountains’ (qualifying भुः)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/यथार्थक (comparative particle: ‘just as’)

• vanāt: from the forest
• vanāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• niḥsarataḥ: of (one) coming out
• niḥsarataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: niḥ√sṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (one) coming out’

• datā: the tusk
• datā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वैदिक/काव्य-रूप ‘दता’ = ‘दंष्ट्रा/दन्ता’ (tusk)

• dhṛtā: held (bearing)
• dhṛtā: Karma (कर्म/Object; patient)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘held’ (agreeing with दता)

• mataṅga-gajendrasya: of the lordly elephant
• mataṅga-gajendrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mataṅga + gajendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘मतङ्गानां गजेन्द्रः’ (elephant-lord)

• sa-patra-padminī: a lotus (plant) with leaves
• sa-patra-padminī: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (सह) + patra + padminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/उपपद: ‘पत्रैः सह पadminī’ (lotus-plant with leaves)

Purport

The fortune of the earth planet is praised because of its being specifically sustained by the Lord; its beauty is appreciated and compared to that of a lotus flower situated on the trunk of an elephant. As a lotus flower with leaves is very beautifully situated, so the world, with its many beautiful mountains, appeared on the tusks of the Lord Boar.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Varaha
• Bhumi Devi (the Earth Goddess)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Varaha lifting the earth?

This verse describes the earth, with all her mountains, shining beautifully as Lord Varaha holds her aloft on the tip of His tusk—an image of divine rescue and protection.

Why did the sages praise Lord Varaha in Canto 3 Chapter 13?

Because Lord Varaha had appeared to retrieve the submerged earth and restore cosmic order; the sages glorify His power and compassion through vivid, devotional imagery.

Practical application of Lord Varaha’s teaching in modern life?

When life feels “submerged” by fear or chaos, this līlā teaches trust in divine protection and the duty to uphold dharma—acting responsibly while remembering the Lord as the ultimate rescuer.