Varaha Purana 170.91 — Adhyaya 170, Shloka 91

The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship

including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics

Devanagari script

क्रीत्वा क्रेयानि वस्तूनि लाभालाभं विचार्य च ॥ उत्तरापथदेशात्तु सार्थं सबहुविस्तरम्

Transliteration

krītvā kreyāni vastūni lābhālābhaṃ vicārya ca || uttarāpathadeśāttu sārthaṃ sabahuvistaram

Translation

Купив товары, пригодные для торговли, и обдумав прибыль и убыток, (они пришли) из области Уттарапатха — вместе с караваном весьма большого размаха.

Word by Word

• krītvā: having bought
• krītvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krī (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; expressing prior action

• kreyāni: purchasable; to be bought
• kreyāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vastūni: goods; items
• vastūni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• lābha-alābham: profit and loss
• lābha-alābham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक) + alābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (लाभश्च अलाभश्च)

• vicārya: having considered
• vicārya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष), indeclinable; expressing prior action

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय/निपात)

• uttarāpatha-deśāt: from the region of Uttarāpatha
• uttarāpatha-deśāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarāpatha (प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उत्तरापथस्य देशः)

• tu: but; however
• tu: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative/contrast particle (निपात)

• sārtham: caravan; merchant-company
• sārtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sa-bahu-vistaram: with much extent; very large
• sa-bahu-vistaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/सह-समासार्थः (बहुविस्तरेण सह)

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative frame)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"Engage in trade with deliberation—assess gain and loss (lābhālābha-vicāra) and organize safe caravan movement (sārtha).","karmic_consequence":"Prudent, fair commerce sustains household and society; reckless or deceitful trade leads to loss, conflict, and reputational/ethical downfall."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethical prudence (yukti) within dharma","core_concept":"Dharma includes intelligent discernment in worldly action—profit/loss reflection is not opposed to righteousness when guided by fairness and restraint.","practical_application":"Before major undertakings, evaluate outcomes, risks, and social impact; prefer collective safety (caravan) and honest accounting."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Economic Life","Ancient Trade Routes","Decision-making (profit/loss)"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: vīra

Geographic Context

Type: interregional trade corridor

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: narrative descriptions of settlements and movements of people often frame later tīrtha or social episodes (general structural parallel)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Merchants after purchasing trade goods, discussing profit and loss, arriving from Uttarāpatha with a large caravan.","item_prompts":["bullock carts laden with bales","merchants with ledgers/cloth bundles","guards and caravan leader (sārthavāha)","road markers, dust trail","northern attire cues (woolen shawls)","pack animals (oxen, horses, camels depending on artistic choice)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: long procession of carts and animals; rhythmic spacing; warm earth tones; stylized merchants gesturing in discussion; palm-leaf ledger motif.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: caravan as a grand frieze; gold accents on harnesses and ornaments; rich textile patterns on bales; decorative border like a temple corridor.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: elegant, detailed caravan scene with soft shading; careful depiction of trade goods and expressions of deliberation; balanced composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: winding road through landscape; small narrative figures; emphasis on journey and distance; crisp outlines and cool atmospheric perspective."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative, steady","suggested_raga":"Bhairav (or Desh)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"measured, matter-of-fact"}

Tags

• Ancient Indian Commerce
• Historical Geography
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Socioeconomic Vocabulary

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects an awareness of long-distance trade, caravans, and commercial calculation, contributing to reconstructions of economic life in Sanskrit narrative traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

Uttarāpatha is named—an ancient term commonly used for the northern route/region, broadly associated in scholarship with North and Northwest trade corridors.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It emphasizes prudent deliberation—evaluating gain and loss—before undertaking commercial activity.