Varaha Purana 210.3: Adhyaya 210, Shloka 3

Inquiry into Moral Agency (Karma) and Practical Means for the Dissolution of Sin: the Śiśumāra Contemplation

Devanagari script

ये नरा दुःखसन्तप्तास्तपस्तीव्रं समाश्रिताः ॥ नानाव्रतशतोपायैः सुखहेतोर्महाप्रभ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 210.3

Transliteration

ye narā duḥkhasantaptās tapastīvraṃ samāśritāḥ || nānāvrataśatopāyaiḥ sukhahetor mahāprabha ||

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาประภา ผู้คนที่ถูกความทุกข์เผาผลาญย่อมอาศัยตบะอันเข้มข้น และใช้วิธีนับร้อย—ด้วยวรตะนานาประการ—เพื่อเหตุแห่งสุข

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Word by Word

• ye: who (those)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• narāḥ: men, people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• duḥkha-santaptāḥ: afflicted by suffering
• duḥkha-santaptāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha + santapta (प्रातिपदिक; santapta = कृदन्त from santap/सन्तप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (afflicted by sorrow)

• tapas: austerity, penance
• tapas: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tīvram: intense
• tīvram: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (tapas-विशेषण)

• samāśritāḥ: having resorted to
• samāśritāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-धातु

• nānā-vrata-śata-upāyaiḥ: by many means of hundreds of vows
• nānā-vrata-śata-upāyaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā + vrata + śata + upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (various-vow-hundred-means)

• sukha-hetoḥ: for the sake/cause of happiness
• sukha-hetoḥ: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (cause of happiness)

• mahāprabha: O great lord/splendid one
• mahāprabha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय

Speaker

Nārada (contextual continuation of inquiry)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Tapas and Vrata Traditions

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents a widely attested cultural pattern in Sanskrit literature: vows (vrata) and austerities (tapas) are presented as technologies of wellbeing and moral transformation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It highlights the human tendency to seek relief from suffering through disciplined practices, setting up a discussion about what practices truly lead to good outcomes.