Varaha Purana 138.12 — Adhyaya 138, Shloka 12

The Episode of the Khañjarīṭa Bird

and the Saukarava Tīrtha’s Merit

Devanagari script

बहून् भुक्त्वा हि वसुधे अजीर्णभृशपीडितः ॥ मरणं समनुप्राप्तः पतितः स्वेन कर्मणा

Transliteration

bahūn bhuktvā hi vasudhe ajīrṇa-bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ || maraṇaṁ samanuprāptaḥ patitaḥ svena karmaṇā

Translation

Wahai Vasudhā, setelah makan dengan banyak, dia ditimpa penderitaan berat akibat ketidakhadaman; lalu dia menemui kematian, jatuh ke keadaan itu kerana karmanya sendiri.

Word by Word

• bahūn: many (things/foods)
• bahūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (plural); viśeṣaṇa (adjective) used substantively

• bhuktvā: having eaten
• bhuktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action): 'having eaten'

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), emphasis/causal nuance

• vasudhe: O Earth
• vasudhe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (singular)

• ajīrṇa-bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ: severely afflicted by indigestion
• ajīrṇa-bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛśa (अव्यय) + pīḍita (पीडित, कृदन्त from pīḍ/पीड् धातु)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā-vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त) 'pīḍita' qualified by modifiers; samāsa: upapada-tatpuruṣa-like determinative sense 'severely afflicted due to indigestion'

• maraṇam: death
• maraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (neuter), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (2nd), Ekavacana

• samanuprāptaḥ: having met with (death)
• samanuprāptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate participle agreeing with subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-anu-√prāp (प्राप् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; meaning 'having reached/attained' (here: 'met with')

• patitaḥ: fallen
• patitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (पत् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate participle 'fallen'

• svena: by his own
• svena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsaka, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; reflexive possessive 'by/with one’s own'

• karmaṇā: action/deed
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (3rd), Ekavacana

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Direct address to Earth (‘vasudhe’), teaching through a karmic-causality example (overeating → suffering → death)."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"Earth as listener; concerned/reflective (implied by moral gravity)","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"Warns against excess and heedlessness: overindulgence leading to bodily disorder is a self-caused downfall (svakarma).","karmic_consequence":"Excess (ati-bhojana) → suffering (ajīrṇa-pīḍā) → death/fall; moderation and self-control implied as protective."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma and self-responsibility","core_concept":"Suffering often arises from one’s own actions; bodily discipline is part of dharma (restraint as ethical intelligence).","practical_application":"Practice moderation in consumption; treat the body as a dharma-instrument; reflect before indulgence to avoid preventable harm."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Karma","Narrative Literature"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuṇa

Secondary Rasa: śānta (moral sobriety)

Geographic Context

Type: None

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 138.11 (setup of the exemplum narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cautionary scene: a being (implied from the story) lies afflicted by indigestion after overeating, culminating in death—Varāha narrates to Vasudhā.","item_prompts":["Varāha speaking to Bhūdevī","a figure/bird shown bloated or distressed","scattered food remnants indicating excess","darkening aura or departing life-breath motif","contrast panel: moderation symbol (small measured meal) optional"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized suffering figure with expressive posture; Varāha calm and instructive; strong color contrast to convey moral warning.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: narrative vignette with ornate framing; Varāha luminous; the afflicted figure rendered smaller, emphasizing didactic hierarchy.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: restrained depiction of suffering (dignified, not grotesque); focus on moral causality; subtle shading.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: story-illustration style; clear sequence cues (before/after) in a single frame; gentle but poignant mood."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"grave, cautionary","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"low, steady, compassionate emphasis on ajīrṇa-bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ and svena karmaṇā"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaishnavism
• Moral Psychology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic didactic narrative: everyday bodily experience (illness) is framed within karmic causality, a common literary strategy in early medieval Sanskrit compendia.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named in this verse; the wider passage later situates events near the Gaṅgā and Āditya-tīrtha.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse stresses personal responsibility: consequences are presented as arising from one’s own actions (svena karmaṇā).