Varaha Purana 17.4: Adhyaya 17, Shloka 4

King Prajāpāla’s Visit to Sage Mahātapā’s Hermitage and the Doctrinal Praise of Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

आसीद् राजा महाबाहुरादौ कृतयुगे पुरा । श्रुतकीर्तिरिति ख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये बलवत्तरः ॥ १७.४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 17.4

Transliteration

āsīd rājā mahābāhur ādau kṛtayuge purā | śrutakīrtir iti khyātas trailokye balavattaraḥ || 17.4 ||

Translation

ในกาลโบราณ ณ ปฐมแห่งกฤตยุค มีกษัตริย์ผู้มีพาหุอันเกรียงไกร มีนามเลื่องลือว่า ศรุตกีรติ ผู้ทรงพละกำลังยิ่งกว่าผู้ใดในไตรโลก

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Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बाहु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् बाहुः यस्य)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (at the beginning)

• कृतयुगे: in the Kṛta age
• कृतयुगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-युग (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + युग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृतं युगम्)

• पुरा: formerly, long ago
• पुरा: Kala (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• श्रुतकीर्तिः: Śrutakīrti (name)
• श्रुतकीर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत-कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; श्रुत + कीर्ति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

• इति: thus, called
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘राजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + लोक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (‘त्रयः लोकाः’ → ‘त्रैलोक्यम्’)

• बलवत्तरः: stronger, very powerful
• बलवत्तरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनाप्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Mythic Historiography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It introduces a paradigmatic ruler placed in the Kṛta Yuga, a common Purāṇic strategy for framing exemplary kingship within an idealized primordial era.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it situates the narrative temporally (Kṛta Yuga) and cosmologically (the three worlds) rather than by place-name.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, the verse foregrounds ideal rulership—strength paired with renown—serving as a narrative setup for later moral or dharmic exemplification rather than stating a direct injunction.