Varaha Purana 201.39: Adhyaya 201, Shloka 39

The Battle between the Rākṣasas and Yama’s Attendant-Messengers

Uttara Bhāga · Dispatch of Agents (Rākṣasa–Jvara Episode)

Devanagari script

विविधान्सन्दिदेशात्र पुरुषानग्निवर्चसः ॥ बद्धाञ्जलिपुटान्सर्वानिदमाह सुरेश्वरः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 201.39

Transliteration

vividhān sandideśātra puruṣān agnivarcasaḥ || baddhāñjalipuṭān sarvān idam āha sureśvaraḥ ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

विविधान् सन्दिदेशात्र पुरुषान् अग्निवर्चसः । बद्धाञ्जलिपुटान् सर्वान् इदमाह सुरेश्वरः ॥

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• विविधान्: various
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)

• सन्दिदेश: commanded, dispatched
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: सम्-√दिश् (दिशँ निर्देशे धातु)

• अत्र: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)

• पुरुषान्: men, persons
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्निवर्चसः: (he) whose radiance is like fire
• Type: Adjective
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (possessive: 'अग्निवर्चः यस्य' = fire-lustrous), पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: अग्नि + वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• बद्ध: bound, joined
• Type: Adjective
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Root: √बन्ध् (बन्धँ बन्धने धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)

• अञ्जलिपुटान्: joined palms (in supplication)
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative: 'अञ्जलेः पुटः' = hollow/gesture of joined palms), पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

• इदम्: this (speech/statement)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• आह: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: √अह् (अहँ वदने धातु)

• सुरेश्वरः: lord of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative: 'सुराणाम् ईश्वरः'), पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: सुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• सन्दिदेश अत्र → सन्दिदेशात्र
• पुरुषान् अग्निवर्चसः → पुरुषानग्निवर्चसः
• बद्ध-अञ्जलिपुटान् → बद्धाञ्जलिपुटान्
• सर्वान् इदम् → सर्वानिदम्

Speaker and setting

Vira and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Mythic court/military council

Speaker

Narrator (speech to follow by sureśvara, likely Jvara in this episode)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma of leadership

Subjects

Command and delegationRitual gesture (añjali)Authority in narrative

Core idea

Authority is exercised through orderly delegation; subordinates maintain discipline and reverence even in violent missions.

In practice

In governance/management, issue clear assignments; maintain respectful protocol to prevent chaos during high-stakes action.

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Sanskrit Courtly Idiom
• Ritual Gestures
• Narrative Structure

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects social and literary conventions of command: emissaries/agents receive orders while displaying the añjali gesture, a marker of hierarchy and formal speech settings.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, it models disciplined reception of instruction within a hierarchical order, but it is not framed as a universal ethical rule.