Varaha Purana 199.8 — Adhyaya 199, Shloka 8

Description of the Torments of Rebirth: The Asipatravana Punishment and the Mechanics of Karmic Retribution

Devanagari script

अथान्ये तु श्वभिर्घोरैरापादतलमस्तकम् ॥ भक्ष्यमाणा रुदन्तश्च क्रोशन्तश्च पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

athānye tu śvabhir ghorair āpādatalamastakam || bhakṣyamāṇā rudantaś ca krośantaś ca punaḥ punaḥ

Translation

Kemudian yang lain, dari tapak kaki hingga ke kepala, sedang dilahap oleh anjing-anjing yang mengerikan; mereka menangis dan menjerit berulang-ulang.

Word by Word

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्गसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable); discourse particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भसूचक)

• anye: others (persons)
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction/particle (निपात) expressing contrast/emphasis

• śvabhiḥ: by dogs
• śvabhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• ghoraiḥ: terrible
• ghoraiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agreeing with śvabhiḥ

• ā: up to
• ā: Desha/Avadhi (देश/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preverb/adverb (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) indicating limit 'up to'

• pāda-tala-mastakam: from the soles of the feet up to the head
• pāda-tala-mastakam: Desha/Avadhi (देश/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound used adverbially; accusative-form as indeclinable phrase meaning extent (अवधिवाचक)

• bhakṣyamāṇāḥ: being eaten/devoured
• bhakṣyamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of participial clause; those being eaten)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्/मान) in passive sense; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √bhakṣ 'to eat'

• rudantaḥ: crying
• rudantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √rud 'to cry'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• krośantaḥ: wailing/crying aloud
• krośantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kruś/kroś (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √kruś/√kroś 'to cry out, wail'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• punaḥ: again and again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (पुनरुक्ति for emphasis)

Speaker

Varāha

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cosmology"]

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Naraka Descriptions
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse exemplifies a didactic literary strategy—intense sensory description—to communicate moral causality and deterrence in Purāṇic pedagogy.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified; the setting is a generalized punitive realm.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Harmful conduct is framed as leading to severe suffering; the repeated cries underscore the intensity of consequence.