Varaha Purana 33.3: Adhyaya 33, Shloka 3

The Origin of Rudra, the Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, and the Establishment of Paśupati

Devanagari script

तपस्यतोऽतः स्थिरकीर्तिः पुराणो रजस्तमोद्ध्वस्तगतिर्बभूव । वरो वरेण्यो वरदः प्रतापी कृष्णारुणः पुरुषः पिङ्गनेत्रः ॥ ३३.३ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 33.3

Transliteration

tapasyato ’taḥ sthirakīrtiḥ purāṇo rajastamoddhvastagatir babhūva | varo vareṇyo varadaḥ pratāpī kṛṣṇāruṇaḥ puruṣaḥ piṅganetraḥ || 33.3 ||

Translation

ゆえに苦行に励む者にとって、名声揺るがぬ古き御方は、ラジャスとタマスを払う道となった。彼は恩寵であり、最勝の恩寵、恩寵を授ける者、威光に輝く。身は黒に赤みを帯び、眼は黄褐色の“人（プルシャ）”であった。

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Word by Word

• tapasyataḥ: of the ascetic/austerity-performer
• tapasyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; 'of (one) doing austerity' (contextual genitive)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• sthira-kīrtiḥ: of steady fame
• sthira-kīrtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthira-kīrti (प्रातिपदिक; sthira + kīrti)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• purāṇaḥ: ancient
• purāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• rajas-tamas-uddhvasta-gatiḥ: whose movement is freed from rajas and tamas
• rajas-tamas-uddhvasta-gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rajas + tamas + uddhvasta + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास; विशेषण ('whose course is destroyed/cleared of rajas and tamas')

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• varaḥ: excellent
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vareṇyaḥ: worthy of choice/praise
• vareṇyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vareṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• varadaḥ: boon-giver
• varadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pratāpī: mighty, radiant
• pratāpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• kṛṣṇa-aruṇaḥ: black and reddish-brown
• kṛṣṇa-aruṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa + aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (two colors) used adjectivally

• puruṣaḥ: person, being
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• piṅga-netraḥ: yellow/brown-eyed
• piṅga-netraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṅga + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework; explicit speaker not indicated in fragment)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Puranic Cosmology
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic idiom where spiritual discipline (tapas) is associated with transcending or dispelling the guṇas rajas and tamas, a theme shared across classical Sanskrit theological and philosophical literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse fragment; the content is primarily descriptive and philosophical rather than topographical.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds tapas (a disciplined practice) as a means of moving toward a state characterized by the dispelling of rajas and tamas—framed as an ethical-philosophical orientation toward clarity, steadiness, and inner refinement.