Varaha Purana 17.39: Adhyaya 17, Shloka 39

King Prajāpāla’s Visit to Sage Mahātapā’s Hermitage and the Doctrinal Praise of Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

तैर्व्यपेतमपि क्षेत्रं पुरुषेण प्रपाल्यते । तं दृष्ट्वा त्वब्रवीत् स्कन्दः सोऽहङ्कारः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ १७.३९ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 17.39

Transliteration

tair vyapetam api kṣetraṃ puruṣeṇa prapālyate | taṃ dṛṣṭvā tv abravīt skandaḥ so'haṅkāraḥ prakīrtitaḥ || 17.39 ||

Translation

వారు విడిచిపెట్టినప్పటికీ ఆ ‘క్షేత్రం’ ఒక పురుషునిచే పోషింపబడుతుంది. అతనిని చూసి స్కందుడు అన్నాడు—“ఇదే ‘అహంకారము’ అని ప్రసిద్ధి.”

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Word by Word

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• vyapetam: departed/abandoned
• vyapetam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-apa-√i (धातु) → vyapeta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (even/also)

• kṣetram: the field (body)
• kṣetram: Karta (कर्ता; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as कर्मणि-प्रयोगे प्रथमा (subject in passive)

• puruṣeṇa: by the person (spirit)
• puruṣeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• prapālyate: is protected / is maintained
• prapālyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√pāl (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'is protected/maintained'

• tam: him/that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive): having seen

• tu: then/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrast/emphasis)

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• skandaḥ: Skanda
• skandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saḥ: that/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ahaṅkāraḥ: ego-principle
• ahaṅkāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prakīrtitaḥ: is proclaimed / is called
• prakīrtitaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kīrt (धातु) → prakīrtita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

Speaker

Skanda

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Ancient Geography
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic concern with the continuity of sacred places (kṣetra) and their upkeep, pairing heritage maintenance with a philosophical vocabulary (ahaṅkāra) used across classical Sanskrit traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific toponym is given in this verse fragment; it refers generically to a kṣetra (sacred region/field) without naming an identifiable site.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse juxtaposes stewardship of a place with reflection on ego-identity (ahaṅkāra), prompting a critical view of personal agency and self-assertion in acts of protection or maintenance.