Varaha Purana 129.1: Adhyaya 129, Shloka 1

Initiation for the Four Social Orders, Sandhyā Mantra Procedure, and the Merit of Offering Water in a Copper Vessel

Devanagari script

अथ चतुर्वर्णदीक्षा ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ भूषितालङ्कृतं कृत्वा मम कर्मपरायणः ॥ शुक्लं यज्ञोपवीतं च देयं नवगुणं तथा ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 129.1

Transliteration

atha caturvarṇadīkṣā || śrīvarāha uvāca || bhūṣitālaṅkṛtaṃ kṛtvā mama karmaparāyaṇaḥ || śuklaṃ yajñopavītaṃ ca deyaṃ navaguṇaṃ tathā ||

Translation

ఇప్పుడు నాలుగు వర్ణాల దీక్ష. శ్రీవరాహుడు అన్నాడు: “అలంకరించి, నా విధుల్లో నిబద్ధుడైనవానికి తెల్లని యజ్ఞోపవీతం ఇవ్వాలి; అది తొమ్మిది తంతువులతో ఉండాలి.”

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Word by Word

• atha: then / now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (अथ-निपात)

• catur-varṇa-dīkṣā: initiation for the four varṇas
• catur-varṇa-dīkṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—‘चतुर्णां वर्णानां दीक्षा’

• śrī-varāhaḥ: Śrī Varāha
• śrī-varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘śrī’ as honorific qualifier

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्/perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhūṣita-alaṅkṛtam: adorned and decorated
• bhūṣita-alaṅkṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūṣita (कृदन्त—भूष् धातु, क्त) + alaṅkṛta (कृदन्त—अलङ्√कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past participles used adjectivally; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having done/made’

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• karma-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to (my) rites/duties
• karma-parāyaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘कर्मणि परायणः’; used as predicate adjective

• śuklam: white
• śuklam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with yajñopavītam

• yajña-upavītam: sacred thread
• yajña-upavītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + upavīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘यज्ञस्य उपवीतम्’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• deyam: to be given
• deyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛtya (कृत्य) gerundive (यत्), Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘to be given’

• nava-guṇam: ninefold / with nine strands
• nava-guṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समासः—‘नव गुणाः यस्य तत्’ (ninefold)

• tathā: thus / likewise
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dīkṣā Traditions
• Material Culture

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides evidence of Purāṇic engagement with initiation practices and material markers (like the yajñopavīta), relevant to the history of ritual and social institutions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It stresses disciplined commitment to prescribed observances (karma) alongside outward ritual preparation.