Varaha Purana 71.48: Adhyaya 71, Shloka 48

Vision of the Trimūrti in Rudra, the Gautama Curse, the Manifestation of the Godāvarī, and the Niḥśvāsa-saṃhitā Account

Devanagari script

ऊचुर्मां ते च मुनयो भवितारो द्विजोत्तमाः । कलौ त्वद्रूपिणः सर्वे जटामुकुटधारिणः । स्वेच्छया प्रेतवेषाश्च मिथ्यालिङ्गधराः प्रभो ॥ ७१.४८ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 71.48

Transliteration

ūcur māṃ te ca munayo bhavitāro dvijottamāḥ | kalau tvadrūpiṇaḥ sarve jaṭāmukuṭadhāriṇaḥ | svecchayā pretaveṣāś ca mithyāliṅgadharāḥ prabho || 71.48 ||

Translation

Mędrcy ci rzekli do mnie: "W wieku Kali, o najlepszy z dwukrotnie urodzonych, wszyscy przyjmą formy podobne do twojej, nosząc splecione włosy jako koronę; lecz z samej zachcianki przyjmą upiorne przebrania i będą nosić fałszywe zewnętrzne znaki, o Panie."

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Word by Word

• ऊचुः: they said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्श-भूत/perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• माम्: to me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• भवितारः: future ones / those who will become
• भवितारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्यय (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘those who will be’

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: द्विजाः ये उत्तमाः (‘best of the twice-born’)

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• त्वद्रूपिणः: having your form / like you
• त्वद्रूपिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: त्वद्-रूपिणः (‘having your form/like you’)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जटामुकुटधारिणः: wearing matted-hair crowns
• जटामुकुटधारिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुकुट (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बहुपद): जटामुकुटं धारयन्ति इति (‘wearing matted-hair crowns’)

• स्वेच्छया: at their own will
• स्वेच्छया: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; समस्तं अव्ययवत्; अर्थः ‘स्वेच्छानुसारम्’ (at will)

• प्रेतवेषाः: wearing preta-like garb
• प्रेतवेषाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्रेतस्य वेषः (‘in the guise of spirits/pretas’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मिथ्यालिङ्गधराः: bearing false insignia
• मिथ्यालिङ्गधराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: मिथ्या-लिङ्गं धरन्ति (‘bearing false marks/insignia’)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework; speaker not explicit in fragment)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic topos of Kali-yuga decline, criticizing the misuse of ascetic symbols as a marker of authority, which is relevant to the social history of religious identity and public trust.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic location is named in this verse; the focus is temporal (Kali-yuga) and ethical (false external markers).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The passage warns against evaluating spiritual or moral authority solely by outward appearance (liṅga) and highlights the ethical problem of adopting religious symbols deceptively.