Varaha Purana 79.2: Adhyaya 79, Shloka 2

Description of the Inner Basins (Droṇīs): Śrīsaras, Śrīvana, Bilva Forest, and Tāla Grove

Pūrva Bhāga · Sacred Geography (Tīrtha/Region Description)

Devanagari script

त्रियोजनशतायामं शतयोजनविस्तृतम् । सुरसामलपानीयं रम्यं तत्र सुरोचनम् ॥ ७९.२ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 79.2

Transliteration

triyojanaśatāyāmaṃ śatayojanavistṛtam | surasāmalapānīyaṃ ramyaṃ tatra surocanam || 79.2 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

هناك إقليمٌ يمتدّ طولًا مئةَ يوجنةٍ وعرضًا مئةَ يوجنةٍ، وماؤه للشرب طاهرٌ مُستساغٌ كالسوراسا والآملا؛ وهو موضعٌ بهيجٌ، مشرقٌ جميل.

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Word by Word

• त्रि-योजन-शत-आयामम्: having a length of three hundred yojanas
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘आयाम’ (length) परिमाणवाचक तत्पुरुषसमास
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)

• शत-योजन-विस्तृतम्: extended to a hundred yojanas (in breadth)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—‘विस्तृत’ (spread/extended)
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तृत (कृदन्त; √स्तृ ‘to spread’ + वि, क्त)

• सुरसा-अमल-पानीयम्: with fragrant, pure, drinkable water
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘सुरसा’ (fragrant) + ‘अमल’ (pure) qualifying ‘पानीय’ (drinkable water)
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Root: सुरसा (प्रातिपदिक) + अमल (प्रातिपदिक) + पानीय (प्रातिपदिक)

• रम्यम्: beautiful, delightful
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• सुरोचनम्: (a lake/spot called) Surocana
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper/common noun)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Root: सुरोचन (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• त्रियोजनशतायामम् = त्रि-योजन-शत-आयामम्
• सुरसामलपानीयम् = सुरसा-अमल-पानीयम्

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious

What she asks

What is the scale and distinctive life-supporting quality (especially water) of that region?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Sattva of place (deśa-guṇa)

Subjects

GeographySacred LandscapesEnvironmental Description

Core idea

A land’s spiritual quality is mirrored in its water—clarity, sweetness, and health-giving nature indicate auspicious order.

In practice

Treat water purity as a dharmic duty: protect sources, maintain cleanliness, and recognize that degraded water implies degraded collective conduct.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Geography
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic mode of describing cultural landscapes through idealized dimensions (yojana-based measures) and sensory markers (pleasant potable water), useful for studying how sacred geography is narrated in Sanskrit literary traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific toponym is present in this isolated verse; it describes a place 'there' (tatra) without naming it. A secure identification would require the surrounding verses of Adhyāya 79.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Rather than a direct injunction, the verse foregrounds an ecological-cultural ideal: a well-ordered, expansive habitat characterized by wholesome drinking water—an implicit valuation of environmental quality within sacred landscape discourse.