Varaha Purana 41.23: Adhyaya 41, Shloka 23

Rite of the Varāha Dvādaśī Vow and an Exemplary Narrative on Expiation for Brahmin-Slaying

Devanagari script

ऋषिपुत्रका ऊचुः । जातमात्रा मृगाः पञ्च अस्माभिर्निहता मुने । अकामतस्ततोऽस्माकं प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयताम् ॥ ४१.२३ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 41.23

Transliteration

ṛṣiputrakā ūcuḥ | jātamātrā mṛgāḥ pañca asmābhir nihatā mune | akāmatastato 'smākaṃ prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyatām || 41.23 ||

Translation

ఋషుల కుమారులు అన్నారు—ఓ మునీ! మేము పుట్టిన వెంటనే ఉన్న ఐదు జింకలను చంపివేశాము. ఇది అనుకోకుండా జరిగింది; కాబట్టి మా కోసం ప్రాయశ్చిత్తం విధించండి.

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Word by Word

• ṛṣi-putrakāḥ: sons of sages
• ṛṣi-putrakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + putraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• jāta-mātrāḥ: newly born
• jāta-mātrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √jan) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying mṛgāḥ

• mṛgāḥ: deer
• mṛgāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca (अव्यय/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral indeclinable (संख्यावाचक-अव्यय)

• asmābhiḥ: by us
• asmābhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nihatāḥ: killed
• nihatāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• akāmataḥ: unintentionally
• akāmataḥ: Hetu/Manner (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-kāmataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय), negated manner: ‘not intentionally’

• tataḥ: therefore / then
• tataḥ: Kārya-krama (क्रम/अनन्तरता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• asmākam: of us / for us
• asmākam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prāyaścittam: expiation
• prāyaścittam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vidhīyatām: let it be prescribed / ordained
• vidhīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु) with vi- + causative/impersonal passive formation
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Ṛṣiputrakāḥ (sons of the sages)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Dharma-śāstra Themes
• Ecological Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic and Dharma-śāstra concern: differentiating intentional from unintentional harm and addressing wrongdoing through prescribed expiation (prāyaścitta), illustrating evolving norms of responsibility in classical Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this verse; the passage is situational and framed as a dialogue with a sage (muni).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Even when harm occurs unintentionally, the agents acknowledge responsibility and seek a corrective practice (prāyaścitta), emphasizing accountability and ethical repair rather than denial.