Varaha Purana 116.45: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 45

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Devanagari script

यश्चात्मा वै समश्नाति ततः सौख्यतरं नु किम् ॥ प्रविष्टस्त्वतिथिर्यस्य निराशो यन्न गच्छति ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.45

Transliteration

yaś cātmā vai samaśnāti tataḥ saukhyataraṃ nu kim || praviṣṭas tv atithir yasya nirāśo yan na gacchati ||

Translation

また、自らほどよく食する者――これより幸いなことがあろうか。さらに、客が家に入ったのち、失望して去らぬ家の主は、いよいよ幸いである。

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Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ātmā: self / he himself
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/assurance

• samaśnāti: eats (together/fully)
• samaśnāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with upasarga sam- (सम्)

• tataḥ: therefore / from that
• tataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• saukhyataraṃ: more pleasant / happier
• saukhyataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); comparative (तरप्)

• nu: then / indeed (in question)
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) interrogative/emphatic

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• praviṣṭaḥ: having entered
• praviṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-viṣṭa (कृदन्त; √viś)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'having entered'

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) adversative/emphatic

• atithiḥ: guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirāśaḥ: disappointed / without hope
• nirāśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of 'atithiḥ'

• yat: because (that) / such that
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); correlates with reason/condition

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• gacchati: goes / leaves
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker for this nīti sequence)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharmaśāstra-related ethics
• Purāṇic Nīti

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves the classical South Asian ideal of atithi-satkāra (guest-care) and moderation in consumption—values central to household ethics across Purāṇic and Dharmaśāstra traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; the verse is normative and household-centered.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Practice moderation in personal consumption and ensure that guests leave satisfied—hospitality is presented as a high ethical good.