Varaha Purana 96.75: Adhyaya 96, Shloka 75

The Threefold Power: The Raudrī Observance and the Manifestation of Chāmuṇḍā

Pūrva Bhāga · Rudra-tattva and Śakti classifications (theological taxonomy)

Devanagari script

या ब्रह्मशाक्तः सत्त्वस्था सा ह्यनन्ता प्रकीर्तिता ॥ एतासां सर्वभेदेषु पृथगेकैकशी धरे ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 96.75

Transliteration

yā brahmaśāktaḥ sattvasthā sā hy anantā prakīrtitā || etāsāṃ sarvabhedeṣu pṛthag ekaikaśī dhare ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ശക്തി സത്ത്വത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതമായത് ‘അനന്താ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്. ഹേ ധരാ! ഇവയുടെ എല്ലാ ഭേദങ്ങളിലും ഓരോന്നും താന്താനായ വിധത്തിൽ വേർതിരിച്ച് ധരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• yā: she who
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg); सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• brahmaśāktaḥ: endowed with Brahmanic power / Brahma-śakti
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (f. nom. sg) (पाठे पुंरूप-प्रयोगः; अर्थतः स्त्रीविशेषणम्); तत्पुरुषः—ब्रह्मणि/ब्रह्मसम्बन्धे शक्तिः यस्याः/या
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: brahman + śākta (प्रातिपदिके; समास)

• sattvasthā: situated in sattva (purity)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सत्त्वे स्थिता (located in sattva/virtue)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: sattva + sthā (प्रातिपदिके; समास)

• sā: she
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• hi: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Root: hi (अव्यय)

• anantā: endless, infinite
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)

• prakīrtitā: is proclaimed / has been declared
• Type: Verb
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषणम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Predicate—‘is proclaimed’)
• Root: pra + kīrt (धातु) → prakīrtita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• etāsām: of these (forms)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (pl)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• sarvabhedeṣu: in all distinctions
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सर्वेषु भेदेषु (in all distinctions)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Root: sarva + bheda (प्रातिपदिके; समास)

• pṛthak: separately
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb), अव्यय; पृथगर्थे (separately)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)

• ekaikaśī: one-by-one / each singly
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—एकैकस्य (one by one) + स्त्रीप्रत्यय-रूप; विशेषणम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Root: eka + eka + śī (प्रातिपदिके; समास)

• dhare: on the earth
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘धरा’ = पृथिवी (earth)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Root: dhara (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• hy anantā = hi + anantā
• brahmaṇo'vyakta- etc not in this verse. ekaikaśī treated as eka-eka- (reduplication) + śī-form
• brahmaśāktaḥ read as brahma-śāktaḥ (tatpuruṣa)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious, contemplative; receiving a classificatory teaching

What she asks

How are the various śaktis (tāmasī/rajasī/sāttvikī) named and distinguished, and what is their proper differentiation?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Metaphysics / guṇa-śakti taxonomy

Subjects

CosmologyTheology (Śakti taxonomy)Philosophical classification

Core idea

Sattva-grounded śakti (Anantā) is distinct from rajas/tamas modes; each śakti-form is functionally distinct though belonging to a unified divine economy.

In practice

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, study, compassion) to align with Anantā-like expansive power; discern guṇa-driven impulses in practice and ritual.

The Varaha avatara

Aspect

Dialogue

With the Earth

Direct address to Earth as 'Dhara', clarifying distinctness among śakti-differentiations.

Symbolism of the boar

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Hindu Philosophy
• Textual Taxonomy

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic habit of organizing complex theological ideas through named classifications (here, śaktis associated with guṇas), useful for tracing doctrinal systematization in medieval Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named here; the address ‘Dhara’ functions as a vocative for Earth (Pṛthivī) rather than a place-name.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse is primarily taxonomic rather than prescriptive; it emphasizes discernment—recognizing distinct categories within a larger set of powers or principles.