Varaha Purana 166.5: Adhyaya 166, Shloka 5

The Greatness of the Sacred Pond Called Asikuṇḍa

Pūrva Bhāga · Anṛṇatā (Freedom from Debt/Obligation) and Filial Dharma

Devanagari script

प्रतिगृह्य च तत्सर्वं तमुवाच स नारदः ॥ पितुर्ह्यनृणतां गत्वा स पुत्रो धर्मभाग्भवेत् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 166.5

Transliteration

pratigṛhya ca tat sarvaṁ tam uvāca sa nāradaḥ || pitur hy anṛṇatāṁ gatvā sa putro dharmabhāg bhavet ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

「それら一切を受け取って、ナーラダは彼に言った。『父に対する負い（恩債）を果たして無債となってこそ、子はダルマに正しく与る者となる。』」

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Word by Word

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having accepted/received’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह् (धातु)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• तत्: that
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सर्वम्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies तत्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म/सम्बोधित-व्यक्ति)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नारदः: Nārada
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to सः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)

• पितुः: of the father
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Root: हि (अव्यय)

• अनृणताम्: freedom from debt (obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अनृणता’ = ऋणाभावः (freedom from debt)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: अनृणता (प्रातिपदिक)

• गत्वा: having attained
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Root: गम् (धातु)

• सः: that
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• पुत्रः: son
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• धर्मभाग्: a sharer in merit/dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य भागः यस्य)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: धर्म-भाग् (प्रातिपदिक)

• भवेत्: would become/should become
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: भू (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• तत्सर्वं = तत् + सर्वम्
• तमुवाच = तम् + उवाच
• पितुर्हि = पितुः + हि
• भाग्भवेत् = भाग् + भवेत्

Speaker and setting

Shanta rasaSetting: Teaching encounter

Speaker

Varāha (quoting Nārada)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma-philosophy (ṛṇa theory)

Subjects

EthicsHistorical Dharma-shastra

Core idea

Moral agency is conditioned by prior obligations; ‘freedom’ (ānṛṇya) is achieved by discharging duties to one’s sources—especially parents/ancestors.

In practice

Repay parental/ancestral debts through service, ethical continuity, and (where applicable) śrāddha/lineage responsibilities before claiming moral authority.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Filial Ethics
• Dharma Discourse

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a dharma-ethical concept (ṛṇa/anṛṇa) central to Brahmanical normative thought, linking social legitimacy to discharge of familial obligations.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified; the verse is conceptual, focused on ethical status and obligation.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

A son should address outstanding obligations connected with the father/lineage; ethical standing (dharma participation) is framed as contingent on fulfilling such duties.