Varaha Purana 98.4: Adhyaya 98, Shloka 4

Chapter on the Sacred Hill Episode: Satyatapā and the Marvel of Varāha

Pūrva Bhāga · Moral Biography (Social Contact and Transformation)

Devanagari script

दस्युसंसर्गसम्भूतो दस्युवत्समजायत ॥ ततः कालेन महता ऋषिसङ्गात्पुनर्द्विजः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 98.4

Transliteration

dasyusaṃsargasambhūto dasyuvatsamajāyata || tataḥ kālena mahatā ṛṣisaṅgāt punar dvijaḥ ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

'Powstały przez stowarzyszenie z bandytami, stał się jak bandyta; potem po długim czasie, dzięki towarzystwu mędrców, znów stał się braminem.'

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Word by Word

• dasyu-saṃsarga-sambhūtaḥ: born from contact with bandits
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘born from association with bandits’ (dasyūnāṃ saṃsargāt sambhūtaḥ)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: dasyu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsarga (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū with sam-)

• dasyu-vat: like a bandit
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb formed with -वत् (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: dasyu (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)

• ajāyata: was born/arose
• Type: Verb
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: jan (धातु)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (ततः) indicating sequence ‘then/from that’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)

• kālena: with time/by time
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)

• mahatā: great/long
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with kālena
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)

• ṛṣi-saṅgāt: from contact with sages
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘from association with sages’
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक)

• punar: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (पुनः) ‘again’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: punar (अव्यय)

• dvijaḥ: a Brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• dasyusaṃsargasambhūtaḥ = dasyu-saṃsarga-sambhūtaḥ
• dasyuvatsamajāyata = dasyu-vat ajāyata
• ṛṣisaṅgāt = ṛṣi-saṅgāt
• punardvijaḥ = punar dvijaḥ

Speaker and setting

Karuna and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Moral psychology / saṅga-doctrine

Subjects

EthicsSocial ConductPhilosophy

Core idea

Character is plastic: guṇas intensify through association; sustained contact with the wise reverses degradation.

In practice

Avoid harmful circles; intentionally seek satsanga, study, and service over long periods to recondition habits.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha continues instructing Bhū-devī through a moral-psychological example (saṅga).

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Moral Psychology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a widely attested Purāṇic ethical motif: character is shaped by social environment, reflecting normative discourse on community, discipline, and rehabilitation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified; the verse focuses on social networks (bandits vs sages) rather than physical geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Association (saṃsarga) is portrayed as formative: harmful company degrades conduct, while sage-company supports moral restoration.