Varaha Purana 13.8: Adhyaya 13, Shloka 8

The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times

Pūrva Bhāga · Narrative Framing: Ṛṣi-saṁvāda (Sage-to-sage dialogue)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तः स विप्रेन्द्रो मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा मुनिं गौरमुखं तदा ॥ १३.८ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 13.8

Transliteration

evam uktaḥ sa viprendro mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā muniṁ gauramukhaṁ tadā || 13.8 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ఇలా పలుకబడినప్పుడు, మహాతపస్వి బ్రాహ్మణశ్రేష్ఠుడు మార్కండేయుడు అప్పుడు ముని గౌరముఖునితో మృదువాక్యంగా పలికెను।

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Word by Word

• evam: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)
• Role: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Root: evam (अव्यय)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed / spoken to
• Type: Adjective
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु) + kta (क्त)

• saḥ: he
• Type: Noun
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• vipra-indraḥ: chief of Brahmins
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘viprāṇām indraḥ’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)

• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Mārkaṇḍeya
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)

• mahā-tapāḥ: great ascetic
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘mahat tapaḥ yasya’ (बहुव्रीहि-सदृश प्रयोग, परन्तु रूपतः विशेषण)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)

• uvāca: said
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)

• ślakṣṇayā: with gentle
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (vācā-विशेषण)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• vācā: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: vāc (वाच्, प्रातिपदिक)

• munim: the sage
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)

• gauramukham: Gauramukha (name)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘gauraṃ mukhaṃ yasya/gaura-mukhaḥ’ (नामरूपेण)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: gaura (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)

• tadā: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
• Role: Kāla (काल)
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• विप्रेन्द्रो → vipra + indraḥ
• गौरमुखं → gaura + mukham

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Vatsalya rasaSetting: Hermitage / dialogic setting

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Hermeneutics / pedagogy

Subjects

Dialogue framingSage lineageNarrative transmission

Core idea

Purāṇic knowledge is transmitted through respectful dialogue and qualified speakers (muni-paramparā).

In practice

Approach inquiry with humility; value the manner (mṛdu-vāk) as part of dharmic discourse.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Philology
• Oral-Textual Transmission

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It functions as a narrative hinge in Purāṇic transmission: an authoritative ascetic (Mārkaṇḍeya) is introduced as a speaker addressing another sage, indicating a chain-of-teachers framework typical of Purāṇic compilation and recitation contexts.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it primarily establishes interlocutors (Mārkaṇḍeya and Gauramukha) and the manner of speech.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse implies an ethic of discourse and pedagogy: instruction is delivered with ślakṣṇā vācā (gentle speech), emphasizing courteous communication within learned dialogue.