Varaha Purana 97.6: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तदा रुद्रो भविष्यैर्नामभिर्भवः ॥ कपालशब्दात्कुपितस्तच्छिरो विचकर्त्त ह ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.6

Transliteration

evam uktas tadā rudro bhaviṣyair nāmabhir bhavaḥ || kapālaśabdāt kupitas tacchiro vicakartta ha ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ട രുദ്രൻ—ഭവൻ—ഭാവിയിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമാകുന്ന നാമങ്ങളാൽ ആഹ്വാനിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ‘കപാല’ എന്ന പദത്തിൽ ക്രുദ്ധനായി അവൻ അപ്പോൾ ആ ശിരസ് ഛേദിച്ചു എന്നു കഥ പറയുന്നു।

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Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed / spoken to
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhaviṣyaiḥ: with future (epithets)
• bhaviṣyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaviṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective used substantively: 'with future (names)'

• nāmabhiḥ: by/with names
• nāmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (Rudra)
• bhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); epithet of Rudra

• kapālaśabdāt: from the word 'kapāla' / because of the term 'skull'
• kapālaśabdāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapāla-śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: kapāla (skull) + śabda (word)

• kupitaḥ: angered
• kupitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kup (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative used adjectivally

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vicakarta: cut off / severed
• vicakarta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√kṛt (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ha: indeed / (narrative particle)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), narrative/expletive

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Mythology
• Narrative Motifs

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exhibits a common Purāṇic motif where names and epithets generate narrative causality, offering insight into how linguistic labels are mythically explained.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Indirectly, it highlights the perceived potency of speech and naming, where words can carry consequences within the narrative world.