Varaha Purana 199.8: Adhyaya 199, Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अथान्ये तु श्वभिर्घोरैरापादतलमस्तकम् ॥ भक्ष्यमाणा रुदन्तश्च क्रोशन्तश्च पुनःपुनः

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 199.8

Transliteration

athānye tu śvabhir ghorair āpādatalamastakam || bhakṣyamāṇā rudantaś ca krośantaś ca punaḥ punaḥ

Translation

پھر بعض دوسرے لوگوں کو ہولناک کتے پاؤں کے تلووں سے لے کر سر تک نوچ نوچ کر کھا رہے ہیں؛ وہ روتے ہیں اور بار بار چیخ پکار کرتے ہیں۔

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Word by Word

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्गसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable); discourse particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भसूचक)

• anye: others (persons)
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction/particle (निपात) expressing contrast/emphasis

• śvabhiḥ: by dogs
• śvabhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• ghoraiḥ: terrible
• ghoraiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agreeing with śvabhiḥ

• ā: up to
• ā: Desha/Avadhi (देश/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preverb/adverb (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) indicating limit 'up to'

• pāda-tala-mastakam: from the soles of the feet up to the head
• pāda-tala-mastakam: Desha/Avadhi (देश/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound used adverbially; accusative-form as indeclinable phrase meaning extent (अवधिवाचक)

• bhakṣyamāṇāḥ: being eaten/devoured
• bhakṣyamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of participial clause; those being eaten)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्/मान) in passive sense; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √bhakṣ 'to eat'

• rudantaḥ: crying
• rudantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √rud 'to cry'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• krośantaḥ: wailing/crying aloud
• krośantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kruś/kroś (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) Masculine, Nominative, Plural; from √kruś/√kroś 'to cry out, wail'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• punaḥ: again and again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (पुनरुक्ति for emphasis)

Speaker

Varāha

Subject Matter

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

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Naraka Descriptions
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

The verse exemplifies a didactic literary strategy—intense sensory description—to communicate moral causality and deterrence in Purāṇic pedagogy.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is identified; the setting is a generalized punitive realm.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Harmful conduct is framed as leading to severe suffering; the repeated cries underscore the intensity of consequence.