Varaha Purana 4.20: Adhyaya 4, Shloka 20

On Nārāyaṇa’s Ten Avatāras and Eightfold Manifestations, and the Account of King Aśvaśirā

Devanagari script

शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासाऽ जनार्दनः । गरुडस्थो महादेवः कस्तस्य सदृशो भुवि ॥ ४.२० ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 4.20

Transliteration

śaṅkhacakragadāpāṇiḥ pītavāsā janārdanaḥ | garuḍastho mahādevaḥ kastasya sadṛśo bhuvi || 4.20 ||

Translation

ശംഖം, ചക്രം, ഗദ എന്നിവ കൈകളിൽ ധരിച്ച് പീതാംബരം അണിഞ്ഞ ജനാർദനൻ, ഗരുഡാരൂഢനായ ആ മഹാദേവൻ—ഭൂമിയിൽ അവനോട് സമനായവർ ആരുണ്ട്?

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Word by Word

• शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-पाणिः: having conch, discus, and mace in hand
• शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-पाणिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख + चक्र + गदा + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘शङ्खचक्रगदाः पाणौ यस्य सः’ (he whose hands hold conch, discus, mace)

• पीत-वासाः: clad in yellow
• पीत-वासाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त; पा धातोः क्त) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘पीतं वासो यस्य सः’ (wearing yellow garments)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गरुड-स्थः: mounted on Garuḍa
• गरुड-स्थः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरुड + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः—‘गरुडे स्थितः’ (standing/being on Garuḍa)

• महादेवः: the great god
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (apposition to जनार्दनः)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सदृशः: equal / similar
• सदृशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कः)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘भुवि’ = on earth/in the world

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a standard Purāṇic iconographic formula—conch, discus, and mace with yellow garments and Garuḍa mount—useful for tracing the stabilization of Vaiṣṇava visual and literary descriptors across early medieval Sanskrit traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; the term "bhuvi" functions generically as "in the world/on earth" rather than denoting a particular site.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Rather than a direct moral injunction, the verse models a philosophical-literary practice of contemplative praise, emphasizing exemplar qualities through comparison and the assertion of unsurpassed excellence.