Varaha Purana 202.27: Adhyaya 202, Shloka 27

Description of Infernal Punishments and the Ripening of Karmic Consequences

Devanagari script

गोग्हातको ह्ययं पापः कूटशाल्मलिमारुहेत् ॥ कृष्यते विविधैर्घोरै राक्षसैर्घोरदर्शनैः

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 202.27

Transliteration

goghātako hy ayaṃ pāpaḥ kūṭaśālmalim āruhet || kṛṣyate vividhair ghorai rākṣasair ghoradarśanaiḥ

Translation

Si pendosa ini, pembunuh lembu, dipaksa memanjat pokok śālmali yang tajam; kemudian dia diseret ke sana sini oleh pelbagai rākṣasa yang mengerikan, berwajah menakutkan.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• गो-घातकः: cow-killer
• गो-घातकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + घातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गवां घातकः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पापः: sinner/evil one
• पापः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• कूट-शाल्मलिम्: the thorny silk-cotton tree (kūṭa-śālmali)
• कूट-शाल्मलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक) + शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कूटः शाल्मलिः)

• आ-रुहेत्: should climb
• आ-रुहेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृष्यते: is dragged/pulled
• कृष्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• विविधैः: by various
• विविधैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (राक्षसैः)

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (राक्षसैः)

• राक्षसैः: by demons
• राक्षसैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• घोर-दर्शनैः: by those of dreadful appearance
• घोर-दर्शनैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (येषां दर्शनं घोरं ते) विशेषणम् (राक्षसैः)

Speaker

Varāha (default, instructor voice in dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Afterlife Imagery
• Vaishnavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a conventional Purāṇic repertoire of punitive imagery (trees, dragging by rākṣasas) used to communicate moral causality and social prohibitions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place-name is given; the imagery is otherworldly rather than geographic.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames harm to protected animals (here, the cow) as a grave ethical breach with severe consequences.