Varaha Purana 116.37: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 37

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Pūrva Bhāga · Dharma–Nīti (Self-Control and Resilience)

Devanagari script

निगृहीतेन्द्रियः पञ्च ततः सौख्यतरं नु किम् ॥ सहते चावमानं तु व्यसने न तु दुर्मनाः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.37

Transliteration

nigṛhītendriyaḥ pañca tataḥ saukhyataraṃ nu kim | sahate cāvamānaṃ tu vyasane na tu durmanāḥ ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Apakah kebahagiaan yang lebih besar daripada orang yang mengekang lima indria? Dia menanggung penghinaan, dan dalam kesusahan dia tidak menjadi murung atau putus asa.

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Word by Word

• निगृहीतेन्द्रियः: one whose senses are restrained
• Type: Adjective
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive): निगृहीतानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य सः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: निगृहीत + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (indeclinable numeral in usage)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)

• ततः: from that; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय
• Role: Apādāna-artha (अपादानार्थ)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सौख्यतरम्: more pleasant/happier
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: सौख्यतर (प्रातिपदिक)

• नु: then?/indeed?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात
• Role: Praśna-nipāta (प्रश्ननिपात)
• Root: नु (अव्यय)

• किम्: what
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक
• Role: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सहते: endures/tolerates
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: सह् (धातु)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अवमानम्: insult/disrespect
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: अवमान (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• व्यसने: in adversity/misfortune
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)
• Role: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निपात
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• दुर्मनाः: downcast; of bad mind
• Type: Adjective
• Form: बहुव्रीहि/नञ्-तत्पुरुषभाव: दुर्मनस् = दुष्टं मनः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (ending -āḥ)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: दुर्मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• निगृहीतेन्द्रियः = निगृहीत + इन्द्रियः (समास)
• चावमानं = च + अवमानम्

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Vira rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious

What she asks

What inner discipline yields the greatest happiness, especially amid insult and misfortune?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Yoga-ethics / sādhana

Subjects

Ethics

Core idea

Indriya-nigraha and titikṣā (forbearance) are direct causes of enduring happiness; adversity is a test of steadiness.

In practice

Adopt daily restraint practices (diet, speech, attention); respond to insult with silence or measured words; cultivate resilience during loss.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha instructs Earth on yogic-ethical discipline: restraining senses, enduring insult, and maintaining equanimity in adversity.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Yoga Ethics
• Nīti

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It showcases convergence between Purāṇic teaching and broader ascetic/yogic ethics: sense-restraint and emotional steadiness are framed as markers of well-being.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Practice self-control and maintain composure under insult and hardship.