Varaha Purana 170.44: Adhyaya 170, Shloka 44

The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship

including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वापि शब्दप्रभवं किमेतदिति निश्चयम् ॥ करिष्यंस्तत्र चैका‌न्ते दृष्टः पञ्जरगः शुकः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 170.44

Transliteration

śrutvāpi śabdaprabhavaṁ kim etad iti niścayam || kariṣyaṁs tatra caikānte dṛṣṭaḥ pañjaragaḥ śukaḥ

Translation

ശബ്ദത്തിന്റെ ഉറവിടം കേട്ടിട്ടും ‘ഇത് എന്ത്?’ എന്നു നിശ്ചയിച്ച്, അവിടെ ഏകാന്തത്തിൽ അന്വേഷിക്കുമ്പോൾ, കൂട്ടിലിട്ടിരുന്ന ഒരു തത്തയെ അദ്ദേഹം കണ്ടു।

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Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √śru ‘to hear’; indeclinable verbal form (avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive ‘even/also’

• śabda-prabhavam: arising from sound
• śabda-prabhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘śabdasya prabhavaḥ’ → ‘arising from sound’

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking reported thought/speech

• niścayam: a decision/ascertainment
• niścayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kariṣyan: intending to do
• kariṣyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; from √kṛ ‘to do’; ‘intending/being about to do’ (contextual futurity)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• ekānte: in a secluded place
• ekānte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in solitude/aside’

• dṛṣṭaḥ: was seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Karmaṇi-prayoga predicate (कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातu)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; from √dṛś ‘to see’

• pañjaragaḥ: cage-dwelling / caged
• pañjaragaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañjara (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-भाव): ‘pañjare gaḥ’ = ‘going/being in a cage’ → ‘caged’

• śukaḥ: parrot
• śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Varāha (narrative voice; explicit speaker not stated in excerpt)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Narrative Motif
• Animal Imagery

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a common narrative mechanism: curiosity prompted by sound leading to a speaking animal motif (here, a parrot), frequently used to introduce ethical instruction.

Which geographic location is identified?

Only a general ‘secluded spot’ (ekānta) is mentioned; no identifiable location name occurs.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse models attentive inquiry and verification—seeking the cause behind what is heard.