Varaha Purana 97.40: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 40

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Uttara Bhāga · Inquiry to Mahādeva (Ritual/Doctrinal Instruction Request)

Devanagari script

कथयस्व महादेव सविधानं समासतः ॥ एवमुक्तस्ततो रुद्रो ब्रह्मणा अव्यक्तमूर्त्तिना

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.40

Transliteration

kathayasva mahādeva savidhānaṃ samāsataḥ || evam uktas tato rudro brahmaṇā 'vyaktamūrttinā

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

कथयस्व महादेव सविधानं समासतः। एवमुक्तस्ततो रुद्रो ब्रह्मणा अव्यक्तमूर्त्तिना॥

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Word by Word

• कथयस्व: tell / narrate
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: कथय् (धातु)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• Type: Noun
• Form: समास: महा + देव (कर्मधारय), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)

• स-विधानम्: together with the procedure
• Type: Adjective
• Form: समास: स + विधान (अव्ययीभाव; ‘with procedure’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to (implicit) कथाम्/वृत्तान्तम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)

• समासतः: briefly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Ablatival adverb), ‘briefly/in summary’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)

• उक्तः: having been addressed / spoken to
• Type: Verb
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: वच् (धातु)

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अपादानार्थ/कालार्थ (then/thereafter)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अव्यक्त-मूर्त्तिना: of unmanifest form
• Type: Adjective
• Form: समास: अव्यक्ता मूर्तिः यस्य (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to ब्रह्मणा
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: अव्यक्त + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• ब्रह्मणा 'व्यक्तमूर्त्तिना = ब्रह्मणा + अव्यक्तमूर्त्तिना (अ-आगम/अवग्रह)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasa

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred from 'brahmovācha' appearing shortly after; this line frames Brahmā addressing Rudra)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

What she asks

A request to Mahādeva to explain, in brief, the proper procedure together with its ordinances (savidhi-vidhāna) for the ritual/ethical matter under discussion.

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma-vidhi (procedural epistemology)

Subjects

EthicsRitual ProcedureDialogue Literature

Core idea

Dharma is to be known through articulated vidhi—clear procedure plus ordinances—transmitted via guru-like dialogue among deities.

In practice

Seek concise, complete instructions (main act + auxiliaries) before undertaking rites or ethical observances; avoid partial knowledge that produces doṣa.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Śaiva Traditions
• Ritual Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies the Purāṇic pedagogical style: authoritative instruction is requested in a compressed format (samāsataḥ), reflecting mnemonic and oral-transmission contexts.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is mentioned here; the focus is on requesting doctrinal/ritual instruction.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The implied instruction is epistemic discipline: seeking an ordered, rule-based account (vidhāna) rather than an improvised practice.