Varaha Purana 39.25: Adhyaya 39, Shloka 25

Discrimination of the Three Bodies and the Dharaṇī Vow: A Manual for Dvādaśī Observance

Devanagari script

दुर्वासा उवाच । यदा मार्गशिरे मासि दशम्यां नियतात्मवान् । कृत्वा देवार्चनं धीमानग्निकार्यं यथाविधि ॥ ३९.२५ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 39.25

Transliteration

durvāsā uvāca | yadā mārgaśire māsi daśamyāṃ niyatātmavān | kṛtvā devārcanaṃ dhīmān agnikāryaṃ yathāvidhi || 39.25 ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Durvāsā: “Kapag sa buwan ng Mārgaśīrṣa, sa ikasampung araw ng buwan (daśamī), ang taong may pagpipigil-sa-sarili at may pag-unawa ay nagsagawa ng pagsamba sa mga diyos at ng ritwal ng apoy (agni-kārya) ayon sa itinakdang paraan …”

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Word by Word

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā (name)
• दुर्वासाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध (Temporal connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction: 'when')

• मार्गशीर्षे: in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशम्याम्: on the tenth (lunar day)
• दशम्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियतात्मवान्: one with controlled self
• नियतात्मवान्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of implied doer)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत + आत्मन् + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (नियतो आत्मा यस्य सः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• देवार्चनम्: worship of the gods
• देवार्चनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानाम् अर्चनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of implied doer)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अग्निकार्यम्: fire-rite; ritual act with fire
• अग्निकार्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of कृत्वा; understood)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्नेः कार्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (अव्यय-समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथाविधि = विधिना यथा), अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Durvāsā

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vedic Ritualism
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects the Purāṇic codification of ritual calendars (month and tithi) and the integration of domestic/temple worship (devārcana) with fire-rites (agnikārya), illustrating how later Sanskrit literature systematized earlier ritual idioms for broader social transmission.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit geographic site is named in this verse; the reference is temporal (the month Mārgaśīrṣa and the daśamī tithi) rather than locational.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined conduct (niyatātmavān) and procedural correctness (yathāvidhi), presenting ethical self-restraint and careful adherence to established method as central virtues within ritual practice.