Shloka 18

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

जज्ञे वाराहमतुलं रूपं या बिभ्रती हरेः ।

शक्तिः साप्यायौ तत्र वाराहीं बिभ्रती तनुम् ॥

Transliteration

jajñe vārāham atulaṃ rūpaṃ yā bibhratī hareḥ |

śaktiḥ sāpyāyau tatra vārāhīṃ bibhratī tanum ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้นได้บังเกิดรูปวราหะอันหาที่เปรียบมิได้—คือศักติของหริ (วิษณุ); ศักตินั้นก็เสด็จมาที่นั่น โดยทรงกายเป็นวาราหี.

Word by Word

• जज्ञे: arose/was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘अजायत’ (was born/arose)

• वाराहम्: boar-like/pertaining to the boar (Varāha)
• वाराहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रूपस्य विशेषण (qualifier of ‘rūpam’)

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रूपस्य विशेषण (incomparable)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘jajñe’ in sense ‘manifested as’)

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• बिभ्रती: bearing
• बिभ्रती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धारयन्ती’ (bearing)

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शक्तिः: the power/energy (goddess)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also)

• आयौ: came
• आयौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘आगच्छत्’ (came)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• वाराहीम्: Varāhī (the boar-form goddess)
• वाराहीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object; ‘Varāhī’ as assumed form)

• बिभ्रती: bearing
• बिभ्रती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धारयन्ती’ (bearing)

• तनुम्: body/form
• तनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘bibhratī’)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Vārāhī
• Viṣṇu (Hari)

Shakti Aspects

• Vārāhī (Matrika; boar-form Shakti associated with Viṣṇu)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Matrikas
• Avatara symbolism
• Protective ferocity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The boar-form evokes the power to lift and restore what has sunk (as in the Varāha motif). Ethically, it presents restoration as an active, sometimes fierce compassion: dharma is retrieved from collapse by decisive divine action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sacred narrative (Vaṃśānucarita) drawing on avatāra symbolism; while Varāha is linked to cosmic rescue themes, here it functions as a battle-manifestation within Devi Mahatmyam.

What is the esoteric significance?

Vārāhī represents the instinctual, earth-lifting force purified into divine agency—raw potency harnessed by Shakti. The ‘incomparable form’ signals a trans-human energy that can operate where ordinary virtue is insufficient.