Varaha Purana 180.39: Adhyaya 180, Shloka 39

The Glory of Dhruva-Tīrtha: Rules of Ancestor Libations and Śrāddha, and the Consequences of Lineage-Continuity

Devanagari script

पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन यां यां गतिमधोमुखीम् ॥ ऊर्ध्वां यां चापि पितरः पुत्रिणः पुत्रमीहते

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 180.39

Transliteration

pūrvakarmavipākena yāṁ yāṁ gatim adhomukhīm || ūrdhvāṁ yāṁ cāpi pitaraḥ putriṇaḥ putram īhate

Translation

പൂർവകർമ്മത്തിന്റെ വിപാകം മൂലം ലഭിക്കുന്ന ഏതു അധോമുഖ ഗതികളും, അതുപോലെ പിതാക്കൾ പുത്രവാന്മാരായി പുത്രനിലൂടെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ഊർധ്വഗതിയും—ഇതെല്ലാം കർമ്മഫലത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• pūrva-karma-vipākena: by the result of former actions
• pūrva-karma-vipākena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + vipāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; समासः: पूर्वकर्मणः विपाकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• yām: which
• yām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• yām: which (each)
• yām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; repetition for emphasis/distribution

• gatim: state/going/destination
• gatim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• adho-mukhīm: downward-facing / leading downward
• adho-mukhīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; विशेषणम् to गति; समासः: अधोमुखी = अधः मुखं यस्याः/अधोमुखा

• ūrdhvām: upward (higher)
• ūrdhvām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; (elliptically) qualifying गति

• yām: which
• yām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); sense: also/even

• pitaraḥ: the fathers/ancestors
• pitaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• putriṇaḥ: having sons
• putriṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; विशेषणम् to पितरः

• putram: a son
• putram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• īhate: desires/strives for
• īhate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īh (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Karma Doctrine
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic synthesis of karma theory with lineage-based ritual concerns, showing how destiny and ritual duty are narrated together.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It emphasizes continuity between past actions and resulting destinies, situating familial/ancestral aspirations within a karmic framework.