Varaha Purana 199.7 — Adhyaya 199, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा तु ते दूताः प्रविशन्ति सुदारुणाः ॥ क्लिश्यन्ति बहवस्तत्र त्रातारं नाप्नुवन्ति ते

Transliteration

tatra gatvā tu te dūtāḥ praviśanti sudāruṇāḥ || kliśyanti bahavas tatra trātāraṃ nāpnuvanti te

Translation

ครั้นไปถึงที่นั้นแล้ว บรรดาทูตผู้โหดร้ายยิ่งก็เข้าไป; ผู้คนมากมายทนทุกข์อยู่ที่นั่น และหาไม่พบผู้ช่วยกู้ใดๆ

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययकृदन्त)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dūtāḥ: messengers
• dūtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• praviśanti: they enter
• praviśanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + viś (धातu)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); with upasarga 'pra-'

• su-dāruṇāḥ: very cruel/terrible
• su-dāruṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'dūtāḥ'

• kliśyanti: they suffer/are tormented
• kliśyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kliś (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• trātāram: a rescuer/savior
• trātāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trātṛ (प्रातिपदिक; त्रा धातु)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• āpnuvanti: they obtain/reach
• āpnuvanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Varāha

Subject Matter

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

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narratives
• Naraka Descriptions
• Moral Didacticism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a widespread South Asian narrative motif—otherworldly “messengers” executing moral order—found across Purāṇic and Dharmaśāstra-adjacent literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified; the verse describes an otherworldly punitive domain.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse emphasizes accountability: once consequences unfold, external rescue is not guaranteed.