Varaha Purana 144.39: Adhyaya 144, Shloka 39

The Māhātmya of Someśvara and Related Liṅgas: The Liberation-Field of Triveṇī and the Śālagrāma Sacred Landscape

Uttara Bhāga · Revā-khaṇḍa (Hymnic Praise / Stuti)

Devanagari script

गण्डक्यपि पुरा दृष्ट्वा शंखचक्रगदाधरम् ॥ दण्डवत्प्रणता भूत्वा ततः स्तोतुं प्रचक्रमे ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 144.39

Transliteration

gaṇḍaky api purā dṛṣṭvā śaṅkhacakragadādharam || daṇḍavatpraṇatā bhūtvā tataḥ stotuṁ pracakrame ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Daraufhin sah Gaṇḍakī ihn, der Muschel, Diskus und Keule trug, und warf sich in voller Niederwerfung zu Boden; danach begann sie, ihn zu preisen.

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Word by Word

• गण्डक्या: by Gaṇḍakī
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करणम्)
• Root: गण्डकी (प्रातिपदिक)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (particle: also/even)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)

• पुरा: formerly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरणम्)
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) (कृदन्त)

• शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरम्: the bearer of conch, discus, and mace (Viṣṇu)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (शङ्खं चक्रं गदां च धरति इति)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• दण्डवत्: prostrate (like a staff)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: like a staff; prostrate)
• Role: Prakara (प्रकारः)
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/उपमान)

• प्रणता: bowed down
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘bowed down’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Root: √भू (धातु) (कृदन्त)

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरणम्)
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• Type: Verb
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभावः; प्रयोजन (purpose)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) (कृदन्त)

• प्रचक्रमे: began/undertook
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: प्र√क्रम् (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• गण्डक्यपि = गण्डक्या + अपि
• शंखचक्रगदाधरम् = शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरम्
• दण्डवत्प्रणता = दण्डवत् + प्रणता

Speaker and setting

Bhakti and Adbhuta rasa

Speaker

Narrator

The teaching

Path

Ritual Bhakti

Subjects

EthicsDevotional CultureIconography

Core idea

Embodied surrender (śaraṇāgati) is expressed through the body (daṇḍavat) and speech (stotra), integrating karma (gesture) and bhakti (love).

In practice

In worship or pilgrimage, begin with full prostration and verbal praise; let iconographic contemplation (āyudha-dhyāna) stabilize the mind.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Iconography
• Ritual Gesture Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents standardized Vaiṣṇava iconographic identifiers and a classical bodily ritual (full prostration), useful for connecting text, art history, and practice.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit toponym appears; the verse is part of the Revā-khaṇḍa narrative cycle associated with riverine sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Respectful approach—expressed through humility and praise—is framed as the proper ethical posture in a dialogue with a higher moral authority.