Varaha Purana 86.44 — Adhyaya 86, Shloka 44

Description of Śākadvīpa and Kuśadvīpa

Cosmographic Geography

Devanagari script

तृतीया पित्रा नाम सैव कृष्णा भण्यते ।

Transliteration

tṛtīyā pitrā nāma saiva kṛṣṇā bhaṇyate

Translation

الثالثة تُسمّى «پِترَا»، وذلك النهر نفسه يُدعى «كريشنا».

Word by Word

• तृतीया: the third
• तृतीया: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• पित्रा: by the father
• पित्रा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम: by name / called
• नाम: सम्बन्ध/नामनिर्देश (Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/marker of naming: 'by name/as')

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कृष्णा: Kṛṣṇā (name)
• कृष्णा: समानााधिकरण/नाम (Appositive name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (proper name)

• भण्यते: is called / is said
• भण्यते: क्रिया (Verb; passive predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भण् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"earth_interaction":"Instructional naming of rivers/toponyms to Bhū-devī (didactic mapping of sacred hydrography)."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious, attentive (receiving sacred-geographic knowledge)","key_question":"What are the true names and alternate appellations of the sacred rivers in this region/cosmography?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"krishna_connection":"Only nominal: the river-name 'Kṛṣṇā' (toponym), not an explicit Kṛṣṇa-avatāra link in this verse."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"itihāsa-purāṇa pramāṇa (authoritative naming)","core_concept":"Nāma (name) preserves sacred memory; multiple names encode layered traditions of place.","practical_application":"When performing tīrtha-yātrā, śrāddha, or snāna, invoke the correct traditional river-names as transmitted by Purāṇic authority."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Geography","Heritage Sites"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river (nadī) / hydrographic toponym

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa, same adhyāya river-sequence: 86.26–86.29 (continuation of enumerated rivers and their alternate names).

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as a divine teacher enumerates rivers; a stylized river-goddess motif labeled 'Pitrā / Kṛṣṇā' flows through a sacred landscape map.","item_prompts":["Varāha seated/standing in teaching posture","Bhū-devī listening","scroll or palm-leaf manuscript with river names","meandering river with name-banner 'Pitrā—Kṛṣṇā'","tīrtha markers (steps/ghāṭa silhouettes)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Varāha with ornate crown and halo, Bhū-devī beside, flat decorative river-band labeled 'Pitrā/Kṛṣṇā', rich reds/ochres/greens, temple-wall composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central Varāha teacher with gold-leaf halo and jewelry, Bhū-devī in reverent pose, river rendered as blue ribbon with embossed name cartouche 'Pitrā—Kṛṣṇā'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate linework, soft shading; Varāha instructing, manuscript in hand; river landscape with subtle name inscription.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: Himalayan miniature palette; Varāha and Bhū-devī in a pavilion, river winding through hills with a small label 'Pitrā/Kṛṣṇā'."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"measured, documentary-sacral","suggested_raga":"Madhyamāvati","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"clear, declarative, teacherly"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Hydrography
• Ancient Toponyms

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides variant hydronyms (Pitrā/Kṛṣṇā), supporting cross-text comparison with other Purāṇas and regional river traditions.

Which geographic location is identified?

A river with two names: Pitrā and Kṛṣṇā; this alone is insufficient to equate it confidently with a specific modern river.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

No explicit ethical teaching; it is a classificatory statement.