Varaha Purana 5.52: Adhyaya 5, Shloka 52

Reconciliation of Action and Knowledge: Offering All Acts to Nārāyaṇa and the Hymn to the Yajña-Puruṣa

Devanagari script

चतुर्मुखो यः सृजते समग्रं रथाङ्गपाणिः प्रतिपालनाय । क्षयाय कालानलसन्निभो य-स्तं यज्ञमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यम् ॥ ५.५२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 5.52

Transliteration

caturmukho yaḥ sṛjate samagraṁ rathāṅgapāṇiḥ pratipālanāya | kṣayāya kālānalasannibho ya- staṁ yajñamūrtiṁ praṇato 'smi nityam || 5.52 ||

Translation

నేను నిత్యం ఆ యజ్ఞమూర్తికి నమస్కరిస్తాను—ఆయనే చతుర్ముఖుడై సమస్త సృష్టిని సృజిస్తాడు, చేతిలో చక్రం ధరించి దానిని పాలిస్తాడు, కాలాగ్నిసమానుడై లయాన్ని కలిగిస్తాడు।

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Word by Word

• caturmukhaḥ: four-faced
• caturmukhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यः

• sṛjate: creates
• sṛjate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• samagram: the entire (universe)
• samagram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samagra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (the whole as object)

• rathāṅgapāṇiḥ: whose hand holds the discus
• rathāṅgapāṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rathāṅga + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (रथाङ्गं पाणौ यस्य)

• pratipālanāya: for protection
• pratipālanāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratipālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (dative of purpose)

• kṣayāya: for destruction
• kṣayāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• kālānala-sannibhaḥ: like the fire of Time (cosmic fire)
• kālānala-sannibhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla + anala + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालानलस्य सदृशः)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यः

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yajñamūrtim: the embodiment of sacrifice
• yajñamūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञस्य मूर्तिः)

• praṇataḥ: bowed down
• praṇataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ṇam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'bowed'

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always/constantly)

Speaker

Varāha (default attribution; speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• Sanskrit Hymnology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a Purāṇic doxology that synthesizes creation, preservation, and dissolution into a single theological framework, reflecting a common medieval Sanskrit strategy of integrating multiple divine functions into one supreme principle.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it is a cosmological and devotional statement rather than a tīrtha or regional description.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse models disciplined reverence and contemplative recognition of cosmic order—creation, stewardship (maintenance), and responsible acceptance of impermanence (dissolution).