Varaha Purana 8.12: Adhyaya 8, Shloka 12

Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices

Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna

Devanagari script

धर्मव्याधस्तदा कन्यां दत्वा स्वगृहमीयिवान् । सा अपि श्वशुरयोर्भर्तुः शुश्रूषणपरा अभवत् ॥ ८.१२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 8.12

Transliteration

dharmavyādhas tadā kanyāṃ datvā svagṛham īyivān | sā ’pi śvaśurayor bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaparā ’bhavat || 8.12 ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ധർമ്മവ്യാധൻ കന്യയെ നൽകി സ്വന്തം വീട്ടിലേക്കു പോയി. അവളും ശ്വശുരശ്വശ്രൂമാരെയും ഭർത്താവിനെയും ശുശ്രൂഷിക്കാൻ പരായണയായി.

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Word by Word

• धर्मव्याधः: Dharmavyādha
• धर्मव्याधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-व्याध (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + व्याध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• कन्याम्: the daughter
• कन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दत्वा: having given
• दत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• स्वगृहम्: (to) his own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-गृह (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + गृह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म/लक्ष्य (goal as object)

• ईयिवान्: went/returned
• ईयिवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारार्थक कृदन्त (perfect participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = 'also/even' (particle)

• श्वशुरयोः: of (her) father-in-law and mother-in-law (parents-in-law)
• श्वशुरयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वशुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual)

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुश्रूषणपरा: devoted to service/obedience
• शुश्रूषणपरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुश्रूषण-पर (प्रातिपदिक; शुश्रूषण + पर)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (devoted to service)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Varāha (default narrator-instructor framework; speaker not explicit in the fragment)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Dharma Literature
• Social History

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic-era ideal of gṛhastha (householder) ethics, emphasizing socially recognized duties within marriage and the extended household, which is useful for reconstructing norms discussed in Sanskrit narrative and dharma-oriented literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse fragment; it focuses on domestic conduct rather than sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds attentive care and service (śuśrūṣaṇa) within family life—especially toward one’s spouse and parents-in-law—as a model of disciplined household responsibility.