Varaha Purana 33.20: Adhyaya 33, Shloka 20

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Śaiva-stuti / Bhairava-namaskāra (Hymnic Invocations)

Devanagari script

विकरालोर्ध्वकेशाय भैरवाय नमो नमः । अग्निज्वालाकरालाय शशिमौलिकृते नमः ॥ ३३.२० ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 33.20

Transliteration

vikarālordhvakeśāya bhairavāya namo namaḥ | agnijvālākarālāya śaśimaulikṛte namaḥ || 33.20 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

വികരാളരൂപവും ഊർദ്ധ്വകേശവുമുള്ള ഭൈരവനു വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും നമസ്കാരം. അഗ്നിജ്വാലകളാൽ ഭീകരനായവനു, ശശിയെ മൗലിയായി ധരിച്ചവനു നമസ്കാരം।

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Word by Word

• vikarālordhvakeśāya: to the dreadful one with upstanding hair
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'विकरालः ऊर्ध्वकेशः' (terrible, with hair standing upright)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: vikarāla + ūrdhva + keśa (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhairavāya: to Bhairava
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: bhairava (प्रातिपदिक)

• namaḥ: salutation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), obeisance particle (नमस्कारार्थक)
• Role: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)

• namaḥ: salutation (again)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), repetition for emphasis (पुनरुक्ति)
• Role: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)

• agnijvālākarālāya: to the one fearsome with flames of fire
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'अग्निज्वाला-करालः' (terrible with flames of fire)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: agni + jvālā + karāla (प्रातिपदिक)

• śaśimaulikṛte: to him who has the moon as his crest
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष/कृदन्त: 'शशिना मौलिः कृतः यस्य' (who has the moon as his crest)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: śaśin + mauli + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)

• namaḥ: salutation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), obeisance particle (नमस्कारार्थक)
• Role: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• vikarāla + ūrdhva → vikarālordhva (a+ū→o). namo in text = namaḥ (o-sandhi). agni+jvālā forms a compound member
• epithets in dative singular governed by namaḥ

Speaker and setting

Bhayanaka and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Theology (paradox of fierce-auspicious)

Subjects

HymnologyIconographyTheology (descriptive, non-sectarian)Poetics

Core idea

The same deity is terrible as fire (agni-jvālā) yet crowned with the cooling moon (śaśi-mauli): unity of opposites—destruction and grace, heat and coolness.

In practice

Meditate on balancing inner ‘fire’ (discipline, tapas) with ‘moon’ (calm, compassion) in sādhanā and daily conduct.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Sanskrit Hymns
• Śaiva Traditions

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a common Purāṇic literary practice: embedding concise hymnic salutations (stuti/namaskāra) that preserve iconographic descriptors used across medieval Sanskrit devotional and ritual traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it functions as an iconographic and devotional description rather than a tīrtha (sacred place) reference.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse primarily conveys a philosophical instruction of reverential acknowledgment (namaskāra) toward a described archetypal figure; it does not present an explicit moral injunction in this fragment.