Varaha Purana 202.4: Adhyaya 202, Shloka 4

Description of Infernal Punishments and the Ripening of Karmic Consequences

Devanagari script

दुराचारं पापरतं निर्घृणं पापचेतसम् ॥ श्वानस्तु हिंसका ये च भक्षयन्तु दुरात्मकम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 202.4

Transliteration

durācāraṃ pāparataṃ nirghṛṇaṃ pāpachetasam || śvānas tu hiṃsakā ye ca bhakṣayantu durātmakam

Translation

దురాచారి, పాపాసక్తుడు, నిర్దయుడు, పాపచిత్తుడు అయిన ఆ దుష్టుణ్ని హింసక కుక్కలు భక్షించుగాక.

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Word by Word

• dur-ācāram: evil conduct (one of evil conduct)
• dur-ācāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); dur- as pejorative prefix

• pāpa-ratam: devoted to sin
• pāpa-ratam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—pāpe rataḥ

• nirghṛṇam: merciless
• nirghṛṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirghṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• pāpa-cetasam: one whose mind is sinful
• pāpa-cetasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहिः—‘pāpaṃ ceto yasya saḥ’

• śvānaḥ: dogs
• śvānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis/contrast particle (विरोध/निश्चय)

• hiṃsakāḥ: attackers/violent ones
• hiṃsakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiṃsaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन); appositional to śvānaḥ

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

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

• bhakṣayantu: let them devour
• bhakṣayantu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• dur-ātmakam: the evil-souled (person)
• dur-ātmakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहिः—‘durātmā yasya/yaḥ’ used as object qualifier

Speaker

Ṛṣi (narrator; reporting punitive instruction)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Dharma Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It demonstrates Purāṇic moral classification through compact epithets, used to justify narrative penalties in karmavipāka sections.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse condemns cruelty and habitual wrongdoing, presenting them as causes for severe consequences.