Varaha Purana 21.56: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 56

The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari–Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share

Devanagari script

एवं तौ स्पर्धिनावस्त्रौ रौद्रनारायणात्मकौ । अन्योऽन्यातिशयोपेतौ तदालोक्य पितामहः ॥ २१.५७ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 21.56

Transliteration

evaṃ tau spardhināv astrāv raudra-nārāyaṇātmakau | anyo'nya-atiśayopetau tad ālokya pitāmahaḥ || 21.57 ||

Translation

ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ອາວຸດທິບສອງອັນນັ້ນຜູ້ແຂ່ງຂັນກັນ ເປັນຮູບພາບແຫ່ງພະລັງຂອງ ຣຸດຣະ (Rudra) ແລະ ນາຣາຍະນະ (Nārāyaṇa); ແຕ່ລະອັນມີຄວາມເຫນືອກວ່າອີກອັນ. ເມື່ອພິຕາມະຫະ (ພຣະພຣະຫມາ) ເຫັນເຊັ່ນນັ້ນ ຈຶ່ງພິຈາລະນາສະພາບການ.

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Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• spardhinau: competing
• spardhinau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: spardhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘rivalrous/competing’

• astrau: weapons
• astrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• raudra-nārāyaṇātmakau: of Rudra-and-Nārāyaṇa nature
• raudra-nārāyaṇātmakau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raudra + nārāyaṇa + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘having the nature of Rudra and Nārāyaṇa’

• anyo'nya-atiśayopetau: each endowed with the other’s excellence
• anyo'nya-atiśayopetau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya + anya + atiśaya + upeta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; compound with mutuality ‘each endowed with the other’s superiority/excellence’ (अन्योन्य-सम्बन्ध)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; pronoun used as object ‘that (sight/event)’

• ālokya: having seen
• ālokya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-lok (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having seen’

• pitāmahaḥ: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative speaker framework; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava Intertext

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative technique: dramatizing cosmic balance through competing divine forces, with Brahmā (Pitāmaha) positioned as an overseeing authority within the mythic historiography of Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; the content is situated in a cosmological-narrative setting rather than a sacred-topographical (tīrtha) description.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Rather than a direct ethical injunction, the verse underscores a philosophical theme of equilibrium: even supreme powers can appear mutually surpassing, inviting reflection on restraint and the need for mediation in conflict.