Varaha Purana 3.22: Adhyaya 3, Shloka 22

Nārada’s Account of a Former Birth and a Hymn to Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा वचो मह्यं देवदेवः सनातनः । उवाच प्रकृतिं विप्र संसारस्वाक्षयामिमाम् ॥ ३.२२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 3.22

Transliteration

iti śrutvā vaco mahyaṃ devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ | uvāca prakṛtiṃ vipra saṃsārasvākṣayām imām || 3.22 ||

Translation

میرے کلام کو یوں سن کر دیودیو سناتن نے فرمایا—اے وِپر، میں تم سے سنسار کی اَکشَی (ناقابلِ زوال) مُول پرکرتی بیان کروں گا۔

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), avyaya; expresses prior action

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• mahyam: to me/for me
• mahyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular

• deva-devaḥ: God of gods
• deva-devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘devānāṃ devaḥ’; Masculine, Nominative Singular

• sanātanaḥ: eternal
• sanātanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; adjective of devadevaḥ

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person Singular, Parasmaipada

• prakṛtim: Prakṛti / nature
• prakṛtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa/sage
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन) Singular

• saṃsāra-sva-akṣayām: one’s own imperishable (means) for saṃsāra
• saṃsāra-sva-akṣayām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (multi-member) ‘saṃsārasya svā akṣayā’; Feminine, Accusative Singular; qualifies prakṛtim

• imām: this
• imām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally; Feminine, Accusative Singular; qualifies prakṛtim

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates a Purāṇic teaching style in which cosmological/philosophical categories (such as Prakṛti and saṃsāra) are introduced through dialogue, reflecting the integration of older philosophical vocabulary into narrative scripture.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is mentioned in this verse; the focus is conceptual (Prakṛti and the imperishable basis of saṃsāra).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Rather than a direct moral injunction, the verse frames a philosophical instruction: understanding the enduring basis (Prakṛti) underlying worldly experience, which supports reflective discernment in later ethical reasoning.