Varaha Purana 199.9: Adhyaya 199, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

अथान्ये तु महारूपा महादंष्ट्रा भयानकाः ॥ सूचীমुखं कृताः पापाः क्षुधितास्तृषितास्तथा

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 199.9

Transliteration

athānye tu mahārūpā mahādaṃṣṭrā bhayānakāḥ || sūcīmukhaṃ kṛtāḥ pāpāḥ kṣudhitās tṛṣitās tathā

Translation

Kemudian yang lain—berbentuk amat besar, bertaring besar dan menakutkan—para pendosa dijadikan bermuka seperti jarum; mereka juga lapar dan dahaga.

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Word by Word

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

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

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

• mahā-rūpāḥ: of huge form
• mahā-rūpāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; karmadhāraya 'great in form' qualifying anye

• mahā-daṃṣṭrāḥ: with huge fangs
• mahā-daṃṣṭrāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'having great fangs' (karmadhāraya)

• bhayānakāḥ: terrifying
• bhayānakāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhayānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying anye

• sūcī-mukham: needle-faced (state: a needle-like mouth/face)
• sūcī-mukham: Karma (कर्म) / Karmapravacanīya complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūcī (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa 'needle-like face/mouth' used as object complement with kṛtāḥ

• kṛtāḥ: made/turned into
• kṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (those who have been made)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √kṛ 'to make'

• pāpāḥ: sinners/evil ones
• pāpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; apposition to anye

• kṣudhitāḥ: hungry
• kṣudhitāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudh (धातु)
• Form: Past participial adjective (क्त/क्तवत् sense) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √kṣudh 'to be hungry'

• tṛṣitāḥ: thirsty
• tṛṣitāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past participial adjective (क्त) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √tṛṣ 'to thirst'

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Sambandha/Kriya-visheshana (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'thus/also'

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Imagery
• Naraka Descriptions
• Sanskrit Morphology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such metamorphic punishments are part of a broader Indic literary repertoire where bodily transformation symbolizes ethical distortion and its consequences.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse reinforces the theme that immoral actions lead to deprivation and fear within the moral-cosmic order.