Varaha Purana 186.37: Adhyaya 186, Shloka 37

Ritual Procedure for Installing Silver and Gold Images, and the Special Status of Śālagrāma

Devanagari script

द्वे चक्रे द्वारकायास्तु नार्च्यं सूर्यद्वयं तथा ॥ गणेशत्रितयं नार्च्यं शक्तित्रितयमेव च ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 186.37

Transliteration

dve cakre dvārakāyās tu nārcyaṃ sūryadvayaṃ tathā || gaṇeśatritayaṃ nārcyaṃ śaktitritayam eva ca ||

Translation

Es wird gesagt, dass gewisse Sinnbilder nicht zu verehren sind: die zwei Räder von Dvārakā; ebenso ein Paar Sūrya-Formen; drei Gaṇeśa-Formen sind nicht zu verehren, und ebenso genau eine Dreiheit von Śakti-Formen.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Dual; numeral)

• चक्रे: discs/wheels
• चक्रे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Dual)

• द्वारकायाः: of Dvārakā
• द्वारकायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Gen., Sg.)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अर्च्यम्: to be worshipped
• अर्च्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च्य (कृदन्त, √अर्च्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be worshipped'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.)

• सूर्य-द्वयम्: a pair of Sūrya (two sun-images)
• सूर्य-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वपद: 'द्वौ सूर्यौ'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.; collective)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• गणेश-त्रितयम्: a triad of Gaṇeśa (three)
• गणेश-त्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वपद: 'त्रयो गणेशाः'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.; collective)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अर्च्यम्: to be worshipped
• अर्च्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च्य (कृदन्त, √अर्च्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.)

• शक्ति-त्रितयम्: a triad of Śakti (three)
• शक्ति-त्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वपद: 'तिस्रः शक्तयः'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.; collective)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: 'only/indeed')

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Varāha (implied; response to Pṛthivī’s question continues beyond excerpt)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Norms
• Iconographic Taxonomy
• Vaiṣṇavism (dialogue context)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It provides a catalog-style restriction (nārchya) that can inform studies of sectarian boundaries, iconographic norms, and manuscript variation in ritual lists.

Which geographic location is identified?

Dvārakā is referenced; it is traditionally identified with the coastal site in present-day Gujarat, significant in Purāṇic and epic geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It frames worship as rule-governed practice, where certain forms/emblems are treated as contextually excluded, emphasizing disciplined adherence to stated constraints.