Varaha Purana 141.33: Adhyaya 141, Shloka 33

The Sacred Greatness of Badarikāśrama

Badrinath Region

Devanagari script

देवा अपि न जानन्ति तं देशं तत्र संस्थितम् ॥ मानुषा हि विजानन्ति भूम्यां पतति तज्जलम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 141.33

Transliteration

devā api na jānanti taṃ deśaṃ tatra saṃsthitam || mānuṣā hi vijānanti bhūmyāṃ patati taj jalam ||

Translation

ദേവന്മാർക്കും അവിടെ സ്ഥിതമായ ആ ദേശം അറിയില്ല; എന്നാൽ മനുഷ്യർ അറിയുന്നു—അതിന്റ ജലം ഭൂമിയിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक अव्यय (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देशम्: place
• देशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• संस्थितम्: situated/located
• संस्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘देशम्’ विशेषणम् (situated)

• मानुषाः: humans
• मानुषाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (indeed/for)

• विजानन्ति: know clearly
• विजानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• भूम्याम्: on the ground/earth
• भूम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतति: falls
• पतति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जलम्’ विशेषणम्

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Ancient Geography
• Environmental Humanities

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a Purāṇic trope about concealed sacred sites and the limits of divine/human knowledge, relevant to the study of pilgrimage secrecy and local tradition.

Which geographic location is identified?

An unnamed ‘place’ connected to the water that descends to earth; it is presented as hidden rather than cartographically explicit.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Valuing careful observation and custodianship of local water phenomena, treating them as culturally significant resources.