Varaha Purana 199.4 — Adhyaya 199, Shloka 4

Description of the Torments of Rebirth: The Asipatravana Punishment and the Mechanics of Karmic Retribution

Devanagari script

याचमानाः स्थिताः नित्यं सुशीतैस्तोयभोजनैः ॥ स्त्रियः श्रीरूपसंकाशाः सुकुमाराः सुभोजनाः

Transliteration

yācamānāḥ sthitā nityaṃ suśītais toyabhojanaiḥ || striyaḥ śrīrūpasaṃkāśāḥ sukumārāḥ subhojanāḥ

Translation

ยืนอยู่ดุจผู้วิงวอนเป็นนิตย์ พร้อมน้ำเย็นยิ่งและอาหาร; ณ ที่นั้นมีสตรีงามประหนึ่งรูปแห่งศรี (ลักษมี) อ่อนละมุนบอบบาง และเกี่ยวข้องกับภัตตาหารอันประณีต

Word by Word

• yācamānāḥ: begging/asking
• yācamānāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sthitāḥ: standing/remaining
• sthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपे द्वितीया), ‘always’

• su-śītaiḥ: with very cool (things)
• su-śītaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + śīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) / upapada with intensifier; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'toyabhojanaiḥ'

• toya-bhojanaiḥ: with water and food
• toya-bhojanaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) ‘water and food’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śrī-rūpa-saṃkāśāḥ: having an appearance like Śrī/beauty
• śrī-rūpa-saṃkāśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'striyaḥ'

• su-kumārāḥ: very delicate/tender
• su-kumārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) with intensifier; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'striyaḥ'

• su-bhojanāḥ: well-fed / having good food
• su-bhojanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'striyaḥ'

Speaker

Varāha

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cosmology"]

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narratives
• Afterlife Imagery
• Sanskrit Lexicography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse exemplifies Purāṇic descriptive technique—using vivid social imagery (supplication, nourishment, beauty) to frame moral narratives and consequences.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse contributes to an ethical narrative context by presenting conditions and figures that function as moral exempla or instruments within the afterlife account.