Varaha Purana 43.3: Adhyaya 43, Shloka 3

The Caitra Dvādaśī Observance and the Ritual Procedure for Worship of Vāmana

Pūrva Bhāga · Viṣṇu-aṅga-vinyāsa (iconographic/theological mapping of the deity’s limbs)

Devanagari script

कण्ठं विश्वकृते पूज्य शिरो वै व्योमरूपिणे । बाहू विश्वजिते पूज्य स्वनाम्ना शङ्खचक्रकौ ॥ ४३.३ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 43.3

Transliteration

kaṇṭhaṃ viśvakṛte pūjya śiro vai vyomarūpiṇe | bāhū viśvajite pūjya svanāmnā śaṅkhacakrakau || 43.3 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Należy czcić gardło jako (formę zwaną) Wiśwakryt; głowę zaś należy czcić jako (formę) Wjomarupin. Ramiona należy czcić jako (formę) Wiśwadżit; a muszlę i dysk należy czcić ich własnymi imionami.

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Word by Word

• kaṇṭham: the throat/neck
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)

• viśva-kṛte: to the maker of the universe
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/4th), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘विश्वं करोति’ (विश्वकृत्)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• pūjya: to be worshipped / worship (it)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपम् (contextually: विधेय/कर्तव्यता—‘पूज्यः/पूज्यम्’); √पूज् (पूजायाम्)
• Role: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: pūj (धातु) + ya (यत्)

• śiraḥ: the head
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)

• vai: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: vai (अव्यय)

• vyoma-rūpiṇe: to the one whose form is the sky
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘व्योम इव रूपं यस्य/व्योमरूपिन्’
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: vyoma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)

• bāhū: the two arms
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), द्विवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)

• viśva-jite: to the conqueror of the universe
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/4th), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘विश्वं जयति’ (विश्वजित्)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + jit (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• pūjya: to be worshipped / worship (them)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपम्; √पूज्
• Role: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: pūj (धातु) + ya (यत्)

• sva-nāmnā: with their own names
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘स्वं नाम’ → ‘स्वनामन्’; instrumental: ‘by one’s own name(s)’
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)

• śaṅkha-cakrakau: the conch and the discus
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• viśvakṛte/viśvajite are dat. sg. of -kṛt/-jit stems
• śaṅkhacakrakau = śaṅkha + cakra (dvandva, dual)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Ritual space (pūjā-maṇḍala)

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Theology of divine attributes (nāma-rūpa upāsanā)

Subjects

IconographyTheologyDevotional Practice

Core idea

Divine names are not mere labels; they are contemplative gateways to specific powers/realities of the same Supreme.

In practice

When reciting each epithet, briefly contemplate its meaning (creator, space-pervader, all-conqueror) while offering to the corresponding limb/region.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Vrata

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic mode of theological iconography in which bodily features and emblems are correlated with named divine aspects, useful for reconstructing historical devotional and ritual vocabularies.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; the content is primarily iconographic and theological rather than topographical.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames a disciplined practice of reverent attention—assigning respectful recognition to specific forms/epithets and emblems—presented as a structured contemplative or ritual approach rather than a social-legal injunction.