Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 22

Varāha-avatāra: The Boar Incarnation Lifts the Earth and Slays Hiraṇyākṣa

Devanagari script

द‍ृष्टोऽङ्गुष्ठशिरोमात्र: क्षणाद्‍गण्डशिलासम: । अपि स्विद्भगवानेष यज्ञो मे खेदयन्मन: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭo ’ṅguṣṭha-śiro-mātraḥ kṣaṇād gaṇḍa-śilā-samaḥ api svid bhagavān eṣa yajño me khedayan manaḥ

Translation

起初只见他如拇指尖般微小，顷刻间却大如石块。我的心神不宁——他莫非是至上人格神毗湿奴、即祭祀之主（耶阇那）吗？

Synonyms

• दृष्टः: (he) was seen
• दृष्टः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘seen/appeared (as)’

• अङ्गुष्ठ-शिरः-मात्रः: only the size of a thumb-tip
• अङ्गुष्ठ-शिरः-मात्रः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (परिमाण-सम्बन्ध): अङ्गुष्ठस्य शिरः (tip of thumb) तस्य मात्रः; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies the subject

• क्षणात्: from/within a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (अपादान/काल-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; time-from

• गण्ड-शिला-समः: equal to a boulder-like mass
• गण्ड-शिला-समः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: गण्डशिलायाः समः (equal to a rock on the cheek/temple); Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: perhaps/even
• अपि: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing possibility/emphasis

• स्वित्: indeed? (question particle)
• स्वित्: Prashna (प्रश्न-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थ-निपात) often with अपि

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; deictic ‘this’

• यज्ञः: Yajña (the Lord as sacrifice)
• यज्ञः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to भगवान्/एषः

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (enclitic)

• खेदयन्: distressing
• खेदयन्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √खिद् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; causative sense ‘causing distress’ from √खिद्

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Purport

Since Brahmā is the supermost person in the universe and he had never before experienced such a form, he could guess that the wonderful appearance of the boar was an incarnation of Viṣṇu. The uncommon features symptomatic of the incarnation of Godhead can bewilder even the mind of Brahmā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Lord Varāha
• Yajña (the Lord as sacrifice)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Varaha’s sudden expansion?

This verse describes Varāha being seen first as thumb-sized and then instantly becoming mountain-like, highlighting the Lord’s inconceivable potency (acintya-śakti).

Why did Brahmā call Him ‘Yajña’ in Canto 3 Chapter 13?

Brahmā wonders whether this extraordinary being is Bhagavān Himself, known as Yajña because all sacrifice ultimately culminates in and is meant to please the Supreme Lord.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

When life feels overwhelming, remember that the Divine can act beyond ordinary limits; cultivate humility and steadiness, and offer your work as a sincere ‘yajña’ (dedicated service).