Varaha Purana 116.21: Adhyaya 116, Shloka 21

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

Devanagari script

पापकर्मरता ह्यासन्ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥ लब्ध्वा तु मानुषीं संज्ञां पञ्चभूत समन्विताम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 116.21

Transliteration

pāpa-karmaratā hy āsan tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim || labdhvā tu mānuṣīṃ saṃjñāṃ pañca-bhūta-samanvitām

Translation

Воистину они были преданы греховным деяниям — что может быть мучительнее этого? Обретя человеческое состояние, наделённое пятью элементами,

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Word by Word

• pāpa-karma-ratāḥ: engaged in sinful deeds
• pāpa-karma-ratāḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त; from √ram रम्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa compound: pāpa-karma (पापं कर्म) + rataḥ 'engaged in' (रत)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Hetu-nipāta (हेतु-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) giving emphasis/reason

• āsan: were
• āsan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu/Sambandha (हेतु/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• duḥkha-taram: worse
• duḥkha-taram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; comparative

• nu: then?
• nu: Prayojaka-nipāta (प्रयोजक-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, interrogative particle

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun

• labdhvā: having obtained
• labdhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, ल्यबन्त/क्त्वान्त), 'having obtained'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle

• mānuṣīm: human
• mānuṣīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānuṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies saṃjñām

• saṃjñām: designation, status/name
• saṃjñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• pañca-bhūta-samanvitām: endowed with the five elements
• pañca-bhūta-samanvitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त; from √anv-i अन्वि with सम्)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa compound meaning 'endowed with the five elements' qualifying saṃjñām

Speaker

Varāha (default, instructional voice)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Karma Doctrine
• Sāṃkhya-influenced Cosmology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It links ethics to cosmological anthropology (pañcabhūta embodiment), illustrating how Purāṇas integrate moral teaching with elemental theory.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Human embodiment is portrayed as a significant opportunity; being devoted to harmful actions is presented as a particularly grave misuse of that condition.