Varaha Purana 210.3: Adhyaya 210, Shloka 3

Inquiry into Moral Agency (Karma) and Practical Means for the Dissolution of Sin: the Śiśumāra Contemplation

Uttara Bhāga · Pativratā-māhātmya (Ethics and Social Dharma Narratives)

Devanagari script

ये नरा दुःखसन्तप्तास्तपस्तीव्रं समाश्रिताः ॥ नानाव्रतशतोपायैः सुखहेतोर्महाप्रभ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 210.3

Transliteration

ye narā duḥkhasantaptās tapastīvraṃ samāśritāḥ || nānāvrataśatopāyaiḥ sukhahetor mahāprabha ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

హే మహాప్రభా! దుఃఖంతో దగ్ధులైన మనుష్యులు సుఖహేతువుగా నానావిధ వ్రతాలు, శతశోపాయాలు ఆశ్రయించి తీవ్రమైన తపస్సును అవలంబిస్తారు।

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Word by Word

• ye: who (those)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• narāḥ: men, people
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)

• duḥkha-santaptāḥ: afflicted by suffering
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (afflicted by sorrow)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: duḥkha + santapta (प्रातिपदिक; santapta = कृदन्त from santap/सन्तप्)

• tapas: austerity, penance
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)

• tīvram: intense
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (tapas-विशेषण)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)

• samāśritāḥ: having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-धातु
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: sam-ā-śri (धातु)

• nānā-vrata-śata-upāyaiḥ: by many means of hundreds of vows
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (various-vow-hundred-means)
• Role: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Root: nānā + vrata + śata + upāya (प्रातिपदिक)

• sukha-hetoḥ: for the sake/cause of happiness
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (cause of happiness)
• Role: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Relation)
• Root: sukha + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)

• mahāprabha: O great lord/splendid one
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Root: mahā + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• दुःखसन्तप्ताः = दुःख + सन्तप्ताः
• नानाव्रतशतोपायैः = नाना + व्रत + शत + उपायैः
• सुखहेतोर्महाप्रभ = सुखहेतोः + महाप्रभ (विसर्ग-सन्धि)

Speaker and setting

Karuna and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Nārada (contextual continuation of inquiry)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She asks

What she asks

Why do suffering people undertake fierce tapas and innumerable vratas as means to attain sukha, and what governs the efficacy of such means?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics / Soteriology

Subjects

EthicsAscetic PracticeHuman Motivation

Core idea

Human striving often begins in duḥkha and seeks sukha through tapas and vrata as instrumental means (upāya).

In practice

Examine one’s motive (sukha-hetu) behind austerity; align observance with dharma rather than mere result-seeking.

Vrata

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Tapas and Vrata Traditions

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a widely attested cultural pattern in Sanskrit literature: vows (vrata) and austerities (tapas) are presented as technologies of wellbeing and moral transformation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It highlights the human tendency to seek relief from suffering through disciplined practices, setting up a discussion about what practices truly lead to good outcomes.