Varaha Purana 210.44: Adhyaya 210, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

यम उवाच ॥ यथा स भगवानाह धर्ममेतं प्रजापतिः ॥ तदहं भावयिष्यामि नमस्कृत्य स्वयम्भुवम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 210.44

Transliteration

yama uvāca | yathā sa bhagavān āha dharmam etaṃ prajāpatiḥ | tad ahaṃ bhāvayiṣyāmi namaskṛtya svayambhuvam ||

Translation

ยมกล่าวว่า: “ดังที่พระผู้เป็นปชาบดีได้ประกาศธรรมะนี้ไว้ ฉันก็จักอธิบายตามนั้น—โดยนอบน้อมถวายบังคมแด่สวยัมภู (ผู้บังเกิดด้วยตนเอง) ก่อน”

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• yamaḥ: Yama
• yamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā/Prakāra-avyaya (indeclinable of manner: ‘as/just as’)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular); demonstrative pronoun

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• dharmam: dharma / law
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• etam: this
• etam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); विशेषण qualifying dharmam

• prajāpatiḥ: Prajāpati
• prajāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular); pronoun

• bhāvayiṣyāmi: I shall explain / set forth
• bhāvayiṣyāmi: Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु) causative bhāvaya
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Periphrastic Future), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada; causative sense ‘I shall cause to be/bring about; expound’

• namaskṛtya: having bowed/saluted
• namaskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-anta absolutive (क्त्वा), avyayībhāva in function: ‘having saluted’

• svayambhuvam: the Self-born (Brahmā)
• svayambhuvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayambhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

Speaker

Yama

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dharmaśāstra Interface
• Transmission of Teachings

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It shows how Purāṇic texts legitimize instruction through lineage and citation (Prajāpati/Svayambhū), a key feature of Sanskrit normative literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is named; the verse establishes authority and intent to teach.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Ethical teaching is framed as transmitted knowledge: Yama presents himself as relaying an established dharma rather than inventing a new rule.