Varaha Purana 97.18: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 18

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Devanagari script

परिधानं तु कौपीनं नग्नः कापालिकोऽभवत् ॥ भ्रमतः परिधानं तु कौपीनं रशनागतम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.18

Transliteration

paridhānaṁ tu kaupīnaṁ nagnaḥ kāpāliko 'bhavat || bhramataḥ paridhānaṁ tu kaupīnaṁ raśanāgatam ||

Translation

അവന്റെ വസ്ത്രം കൌപീനമാത്രം; നഗ്നനായി അവൻ കാപാലികനായി. അലഞ്ഞുതിരിയുമ്പോൾ ആ കൌപീനം തന്നെ അരയിൽ കയറുകൊണ്ട് കെട്ടിയ വസ്ത്രമാവുകയും ചെയ്തു।

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Word by Word

• परिधानम्: garment, clothing
• परिधानम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय/उपपद (predicate/apposition)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• कौपीनम्: loincloth
• कौपीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिधानस्य विशेषण/समानााधिकरण (loincloth as the garment)

• नग्नः: naked
• नग्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण (nom. sg. m.)

• कापालिकः: a Kāpālika ascetic
• कापालिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भ्रमतः: while wandering / of the wanderer
• भ्रमतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच् कृदन्तस्य षष्ठी-एकवचन (gen. sg.) ‘भ्रमतः’ = ‘भ्रमन्’ (while wandering / of one who is wandering)

• परिधानम्: garment
• परिधानम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (the garment)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• कौपीनम्: loincloth
• कौपीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रशनागतम्: reaching the waist-cord / caught at the waist
• रशनागतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रशना-आगत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘आगत’ (ppp) with तत्पुरुष: ‘रशनां प्रति/रशनायाम् आगतम्’ = come to/ended up at the waist-cord

Speaker

Narrator

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ascetic Traditions
• Śaiva Traditions
• Purāṇic Narrative

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It records terminology (kāpālika, kaupīna) relevant to the history of ascetic orders and their representation in Sanskrit narrative sources.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named; the verse describes an ascetic condition “while wandering.”

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse underscores austerity and restraint as part of a self-corrective regimen, presented descriptively rather than as universal prescription.