Varaha Purana 151.81 — Adhyaya 151, Shloka 81
The Sacred Greatness of Lohārgala
The ‘Iron-Bolt’ Tīrtha
सप्तर्षीन् स समुत्सृज्य मोदते मम संस्थितः ॥ शरभङ्गस्य कुण्डं वै क्षेत्रे गुह्यं परे मम ॥
saptarṣīn sa samutsṛjya modate mama saṃsthitaḥ || śarabhaṅgasya kuṇḍaṃ vai kṣetre guhyaṃ pare mama ||
Nachdem er sogar die Sieben ṛṣis übertroffen hat, freut er sich, in mir gegründet. In meinem höchsten, geheimen heiligen Bezirk befindet sich wahrlich das Kuṇḍa des Śarabhaṅga.
Varāha (default dialogue framework)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"earth_interaction":"Varāha speaks of a guhyakṣetra ‘in me’ (mama saṃsthitaḥ), locating the tīrtha within/under the protection of Bhū-devī as sacred ground."}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious, receptive (addressed implicitly as the listener within the Varāha–Bhū dialogue frame)","key_question":"Which hidden sacred sites (kuṇḍas/kṣetras) on Earth confer exceptional merit beyond even great sages?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"Śarabhaṅga-kuṇḍa"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"tīrtha-śraddhā / sacred geography as sādhanā","core_concept":"Hidden sacred places intensify merit when approached with devotion; sanctity is not only public but also ‘guhya’ (esoteric).","practical_application":"Seek out and honor lesser-known tīrthas with faith and restraint, not merely famous sites."}
Subject Matter: ["Heritage Sites (Kuṇḍa)","Sacred Geography","Mythic Sage Traditions"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: kuṇḍa / kṣetra
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa Mathurā-māhātmya style catalogues of kuṇḍas/kṣetras (adjacent verses)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as narrator indicates a hidden sacred pond named after Śarabhaṅga, set within a sanctified landscape; the mood is of discovery of a secret tīrtha.","item_prompts":["forest-hermitage ambience","a clear kuṇḍa with stone steps","subtle markers of sage Śarabhaṅga (kamaṇḍalu, deer-skin, kuśa)","inscription-like label ‘Śarabhaṅga-kuṇḍa’"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Varāha as divine teacher (calm, frontal), lush greens, stylized pond with lotus, sage-emblems near the bank, warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central divine presence implied (Varāha as narrator), ornate frame, gold-leaf highlights on the kuṇḍa steps and lotus, jewel-toned water surface.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate linework, soft shading; serene kuṇḍa in a sacred grove, minimal figures, emphasis on clarity of water and sanctity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: Himalayan foothill grove, small hermitage near a pond, narrative label of Śarabhaṅga, gentle pastel sky and devotional quiet."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"reverential, wonder-tinged","suggested_raga":"Vasantā (or Lalit for ‘guhya’ solemnity)","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"measured, instructive, slightly hushed to match ‘secret kṣetra’"}
FAQs
It preserves a micro-toponym (Śarabhaṅga-kuṇḍa) and associates it with broader sage lineages, valuable for reconstructing regional tīrtha networks in Purāṇic sources.
Śarabhaṅga’s kuṇḍa (a named sacred pond). Modern identification requires comparison with other Purāṇas, local māhātmyas, and historical gazetteers.
The verse promotes steadfast orientation toward the taught ideal (‘established in me’) and frames sacred sites as supports for disciplined spiritual life.
Ask anything about this verse
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.