Varaha Purana 161.2: Adhyaya 161, Shloka 2

The Efficacy of the Sacred Forests: The Merit of Pilgrimage to Mathurā’s Twelve Groves

Devanagari script

अभुक्त्वा नारकं दुःखं सुकृतैः पुण्यदैर्नृणाम् ॥ प्रयान्ति कर्मणा येन तमुपायं ब्रवीहि मे

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 161.2

Transliteration

abhuktvā nārakaṁ duḥkhaṁ sukṛtaiḥ puṇyadāir nṛṇām || prayānti karmaṇā yena tam upāyaṁ bravīhi me

Translation

‘نرک کے دکھ کو بھوگے بغیر، انسانوں کے اُن نیکی بخش اعمال کے سبب—وہ کس عمل کے ذریعے (اُس عذاب سے) آگے بڑھ جاتے ہیں؟ مجھے وہ طریقہ بتائیے۔’

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Word by Word

• अभुक्त्वा: without experiencing
• अभुक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल/निषेध (Prior action with negation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund) with privative अ-; ‘without experiencing/having not enjoyed’

• नारकम्: hellish
• नारकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘दुःखम्’ इति विशेषण

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: कर्म (Karman/Object of ‘अभुक्त्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सुकृतैः: by good deeds/merits
• सुकृतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पुण्यदैः: merit-giving
• पुण्यदैः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘सुकृतैः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘giving’)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रयान्ति: go/attain
• प्रयान्ति: क्रिया (Action/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कर्मणा: by (what) action
• कर्मणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative: ‘by which’)

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपायम्: means/method
• उपायम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ब्रवीहि: tell
• ब्रवीहि: क्रिया (Action/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular); अत्र सम्प्रदानार्थे (for me)

Speaker

Pṛthivī / Dharaṇī

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharma Literature
• Karma Theory

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It articulates a classic Purāṇic ethical problem—how merit and action relate to post-mortem outcomes—providing evidence for lived moral reasoning in Sanskrit narrative theology.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic site is named in this verse; it is a doctrinal inquiry within the Devavana section.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To seek clarity on which actions (karma) and merits (puṇya) conduce to improved outcomes, emphasizing moral causality rather than coercive doctrine.