Varaha Purana 73.8: Adhyaya 73, Shloka 8

Rudra’s Hymn: Vision of Nārāyaṇa, the Emergence of the Ādityas, and the Mutual Boon of Hari and Hara

Pūrva Bhāga · Dialogue Framework (Inquiry into identity and purpose)

Devanagari script

तमहम् पृष्टवान् कस्त्वं के चेमे पुरुषा गताः । किं वा प्रयोजनमिह कथ्यतां पुरुषर्षभ ॥ ७३.८ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 73.8

Transliteration

tam ahaṁ pṛṣṭavān kas tvaṁ ke ceme puruṣā gatāḥ | kiṁ vā prayojanam iha kathyatāṁ puruṣarṣabha || 73.8 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

అప్పుడు నేను ఆయనను అడిగాను—‘నీవెవరు? ఇక్కడికి వచ్చిన ఈ పురుషులు ఎవరు? ఇక్కడి ప్రయోజనం ఏమిటి? చెప్పుము, ఓ పురుషర్షభా.’

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (object)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अहम्: I
• Type: Noun
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (subject)
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• पृष्टवान्: asked
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (Perfect participle/क्तवतु), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (I having asked = I asked)
• Role: क्रिया (verbal predicate)
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)

• कः: who?
• Type: Noun
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: प्रश्न-प्रत्यय (interrogative predicate)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (addressed subject)
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• के: who (are they)?
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: प्रश्न-प्रत्यय (interrogative predicate)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक
• Role: समुच्चय
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• इमे: these
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (subject)
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• पुरुषाः: men
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (apposition to इमे)
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)

• गताः: gone
• Type: Verb
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past active participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि
• Role: क्रिया (predicate participle)
• Root: गम् (धातु)

• किम्: what?
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (what?)
• Role: प्रश्न (interrogative)
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प/अनुनयार्थक (or/indeed)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Root: वा (अव्यय)

• प्रयोजनम्: purpose
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: प्रश्न-विशेष्य (interrogated matter)
• Root: प्रयोजन (प्रातिपदिक)

• इह: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place: 'here')
• Role: देशाधिकरण (place adjunct)
• Root: इह (अव्यय)

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told / please tell
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive imperative: 'let it be told')
• Role: क्रिया (injunction)
• Root: कथ् (धातु)

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men / O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषाणां ऋषभः)
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तमहम् = तम् + अहम्
• कस्त्वं = कः + त्वम्
• चेमे = च + इमे
• कथ्यतां = कथ्यताम् (अनुस्वार/लोप-लेखनभेद)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta rasaSetting: Cosmic encounter-site

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She asks

Her state of mind

Curious; seeking identity and teleology behind the phenomenon

What she asks

Who are you, who are these radiant men, and what is the purpose of this event here?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Teleological inquiry (prayojana)

Subjects

DialogueIdentity and intentionNarrative inquiry

Core idea

Right questioning—identity (tattva) and purpose (prayojana)—is the gateway to higher knowledge.

In practice

Frame spiritual inquiry with three axes: who/what is the principle, who are the agents, and what is the end (goal) of the process.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaishnavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a common Purāṇic narrative device: a formal inquiry about identity and purpose that introduces or frames the next doctrinal, geographical, or ethical exposition.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place-name appears in this verse; it functions as a transitional inquiry before location- or topic-specific material is disclosed in subsequent passages.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined inquiry—requesting clear identification and stated purpose—an epistemic norm that supports orderly transmission of knowledge in the text’s dialogue setting.