Varaha Purana 98.3: Adhyaya 98, Shloka 3

Chapter on the Sacred Hill Episode: Satyatapā and the Marvel of Varāha

Devanagari script

कीदृशं तन्ममाचक्ष्व महत्कौतूहलं विभो ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ स हि सत्यतपा पूर्वं भृगुवंशोद्भवो द्विजः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 98.3

Transliteration

kīdṛśaṃ tan mamācakṣva mahat kautūhalaṃ vibho || śrīvarāha uvāca || sa hi satyatapā pūrvaṃ bhṛguvaṃśodbhavo dvijaḥ ||

Translation

అది ఏ విధమైనదో నాకు చెప్పుము; ఓ ప్రభూ, నాకు గొప్ప కుతూహలం. శ్రీవరాహుడు పలికెను—సత్యతపా పూర్వం భృగువంశంలో జన్మించిన ద్విజుడు (బ్రాహ్మణుడు).

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Word by Word

• kīdṛśam: what kind (of)
• kīdṛśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative adjective

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: to me/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); 1st person pronoun

• ācakṣva: tell/explain
• ācakṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies kautūhalam

• kautūhalam: curiosity/wonder
• kautūhalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kautūhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vibho: O Lord/mighty one
• vibho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrī-varāhaḥ: Lord Varāha
• śrī-varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (śrīmān varāhaḥ) honorific epithet

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); emphasis/indeed (निश्चयार्थक)

• satyatapāḥ: Satyatapā
• satyatapāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satyatapā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• pūrvam: formerly/before
• pūrvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• bhṛgu-vaṃśa-udbhavaḥ: born in Bhṛgu’s lineage
• bhṛgu-vaṃśa-udbhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhṛgu (प्रातिपदिक) + vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘born from the lineage of Bhṛgu’

• dvijaḥ: a Brahmin
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Varāha (Instructor); Pṛthivī (Inquirer) in first half

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Lineage Traditions

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows a typical Purāṇic dialogic method: a question framed as intellectual curiosity (kautūhala) followed by authoritative narration, including lineage markers used for cultural memory and legitimization.

Which geographic location is identified?

No new location is named here; the verse pivots from place-based curiosity to the protagonist’s genealogical identity.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse models inquiry as a legitimate path to understanding, and frames personal history (lineage and former status) as relevant for evaluating conduct and transformation.