Varaha Purana 94.3: Adhyaya 94, Shloka 3
The Birth of Mahiṣāsura and the Goddess’s Victory as Mahīṣamardinī
Pūrva Bhāga · Ṛṣi Encounter and Curse Motif
तमृषिं भीषितुं ताभिः सह गत्वा वरानना । असौ बिभीषितस्ताभिस्तां ज्ञात्वा ज्ञानचक्षुषा । आसुरीं क्रोधसम्पन्नः शशाप शुभलोचनाम् ॥
tam ṛṣiṃ bhīṣituṃ tābhiḥ saha gatvā varānanā | asau bibhīṣitas tābhis tāṃ jñātvā jñānacakṣuṣā | āsurīṃ krodhasampannaḥ śaśāpa śubhalocanām ||
tamRRiShiM bhIShituM tAbhiH saha gatvA varAnanA | asau bibhIShitastAbhistAM j~nAtvA j~nAnachakShuShA | AsurIM krodhasaMpannaH shashApa shubhalochanAm
ఆ ఋషిని భయపెట్టుటకు వారితో కలిసి వరాననా వెళ్లింది. వారు చూసి ఋషి భీతుడై, జ్ఞానచక్షువుతో ఆమెను ఆసురీ స్వభావమని గ్రహించి, కోపంతో నిండిపోయి ఆ శుభలోచనను శపించాడు.
Sandhi Notes
- तमृषिं = तम्+ऋषिम्
- बिभीषितस्ताभिः = बिभीषितः+ताभिः (विसर्ग-लोप)
- तां ज्ञात्वा = ताम्+ज्ञात्वा
- ज्ञानचक्षुषा = ज्ञान+चक्षुषा
- क्रोधसम्पन्नः = क्रोध+सम्पन्नः
Varāha
Jñāna sees svabhāva: outer beauty (‘śubhalocanā’) cannot conceal inner asurī-bhāva; krodha in a ṛṣi functions as dharma-enforcement, not mere passion.
Do not test or terrorize the vulnerable or the wise; cultivate inner purity so that ‘knowledge-eye’ scrutiny finds no asuric intent.
Intimidating or harassing a ṛṣi invites immediate moral retribution; ascetic insight (jñānacakṣuḥ) discerns inner nature beyond outer disguise.
Aggression toward the spiritually realized triggers śāpa (curse) and consequent downfall/constraint.
94.94.12 (explicit curse content follows)
FAQs
It preserves a standard Purāṇic narrative mechanism: the sage’s insight (jñāna) and curse (śāpa) as a moral-judicial force shaping subsequent events.
No geographic location is specified; the scene is defined by participants (ṛṣi, varānanā) and action (attempted intimidation, recognition, curse).
The passage implies that deceptive intimidation of ascetics leads to consequences, and that discernment (jñāna) functions as a corrective to hostile intent.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
