Varaha Purana 137.1 — Adhyaya 137, Shloka 1

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

अथ गृध्रजम्बुकाख्यानम् । तत्रादित्यवरप्रदानम् ॥ सूत उवाच ॥ श्रुत्वा तु विपुलं ह्येतदपराधविशोधनम् ॥ कर्म भागवतं श्रेष्ठं सर्वभागवत प्रियम् ॥

Transliteration

atha gṛdhrajambukākhyānam | tatrādityavarapradānam || sūta uvāca || śrutvā tu vipulaṁ hy etad aparādhaviśodhanam || karma bhāgavataṁ śreṣṭhaṁ sarvabhāgavata priyam

Translation

บัดนี้เริ่มเรื่องเล่าของแร้งและหมาไน; ในเรื่องนั้นมีการประทานพรโดยอาทิตยะ (พระอาทิตย์). สูตะกล่าวว่า: ‘ครั้นได้ฟังการชำระความผิดอันกว้างขวางนี้แล้ว การปฏิบัติแบบภาควตะอันประเสริฐยิ่ง—เป็นที่รักของเหล่าผู้ภักดีทั้งปวง…’

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• गृध्रजम्बुकाख्यानम्: the tale of the vulture and the jackal
• गृध्रजम्बुकाख्यानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; title/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र + जम्बुक + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गृध्र-जम्बुकयोः आख्यानम् = story of the vulture and jackal)

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आदित्यवरप्रदानम्: the granting of a boon by Āditya (Sun)
• आदित्यवरप्रदानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य + वर + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आदित्यस्य वरप्रदानम् = granting of a boon by Āditya)

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle)

• विपुलम्: vast/abundant
• विपुलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifies 'एतत्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपराधविशोधनम्: purification of offenses
• अपराधविशोधनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to 'एतत्')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध + विशोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अपराधस्य विशोधनम् = purification/atonement of offense)

• कर्म: practice/rite
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भागवतम्: devotional (pertaining to Bhagavān)
• भागवतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies 'कर्म')

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent/best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वभागवतप्रियम्: dear to all devotees
• सर्वभागवतप्रियम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भागवत + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां भागवतानां प्रियम् = dear to all devotees)

Speaker

Sūta

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Narrative Literature","Textual Tradition","Eschatology"]

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Moral Exempla

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It functions as a narrative rubric introducing an embedded story (ākhyāna) and signals a didactic aim—‘aparādha-viśodhana’—typical of Purāṇic moral exempla.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit geographic location is named in this introductory segment; it primarily announces the episode and its theme.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It frames the forthcoming story as a means of understanding purification from transgression and the value of exemplary conduct (karma) within a devotional-ethical context.