Varaha Purana 79.21: Adhyaya 79, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

पञ्चाशद्योजनायामं त्रिंशद्योजनमण्डलम् । रम्यं तालवनं श्रीमत् क्रोशार्द्धोच्छ्रितपादपम् ॥ ७९.२१ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 79.21

Transliteration

pañcāśad-yojanāyāmaṁ triṁśad-yojanamaṇḍalam | ramyaṁ tālavanaṁ śrīmat krośārdhocchritapādapam || 79.21 ||

Translation

Der herrliche und liebliche Tālavana erstreckt sich über fünfzig Yojanas in der Länge und umfasst einen Umfang von dreißig Yojanas; seine Bäume ragen bis zur Höhe einer halben Krośa empor.

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Word by Word

• पञ्चाशत्-योजन-आयामम्: having a length of fifty yojanas
• पञ्चाशत्-योजन-आयामम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चाशत् योजनानि आयामः यस्य = having length of fifty yojanas); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with (तालवनम्/वनम्)

• त्रिंशत्-योजन-मण्डलम्: having an extent/circuit of thirty yojanas
• त्रिंशत्-योजन-मण्डलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रिंशत् योजनानि मण्डलम्/परिमाणम् यस्य = having a circuit/extent of thirty yojanas); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with (तालवनम्/वनम्)

• रम्यम्: beautiful, delightful
• रम्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with तालवनम्

• तालवनम्: a palm-grove (forest of palmyra trees)
• तालवनम्: Karta (कर्ता / Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तालानां वनम् = palm-grove); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; subject of implied 'asti'

• श्रीमत्: splendid, prosperous, glorious
• श्रीमत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with तालवनम्

• क्रोश-अर्द्ध-उच्छ्रित-पादपम्: having trees rising to half a krośa (in height)
• क्रोश-अर्द्ध-उच्छ्रित-पादपम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोश (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्छ्रित (कृदन्त, क्त; √श्रि/√श्रि? with उत्- 'raised') + पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (क्रोशार्द्धम् उच्छ्रिताः पादपाः यस्य = whose trees are raised to half a krośa); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with तालवनम्

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker within Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Geography
• Vaishnavism
• Landscape Description

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic-style cartography of a named landscape (Tālavana) using traditional measures (yojana, krośa), illustrating how Sanskrit texts encode cultural geography and environmental description.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse identifies “Tālavana,” a palm-grove/forest toponym. Without additional chapter context, a precise modern identification cannot be fixed from this single śloka alone; it should be cross-referenced with adjoining verses and parallel Purāṇic or tīrtha literature.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The passage is primarily descriptive rather than prescriptive; its philosophical value lies in presenting the forest as a culturally significant landscape—supporting an archival emphasis on environmental features (trees, extent) as part of sacred geography.