Varaha Purana 97.14: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 14

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Devanagari script

सप्तद्वीपवतीं पुण्यां मज्जंस्तीर्थेषु नित्यशः ॥ समुद्रे प्रथमं स्नात्वा ततो गङ्गां व्यगाहत ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.14

Transliteration

saptadvīpavatīṁ puṇyāṁ majjan tīrtheṣu nityaśaḥ || samudre prathamaṁ snātvā tato gaṅgāṁ vyagāhata ||

Translation

Indem er sich unablässig an den heiligen Furten des als „mit sieben Kontinenten“ beschriebenen heiligen Landes badete, nahm er zuerst ein Bad im Ozean und stieg dann in die Gaṅgā hinab.

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Word by Word

• सप्तद्वीपवतीम्: having seven islands (seven-continented)
• सप्तद्वीपवतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त-द्वीप-वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. acc. sg.)

• पुण्याम्: holy, meritorious
• पुण्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. acc. sg.)

• मज्जन्: bathing / immersing
• मज्जन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तरि प्रयोग; ‘मज्जन्’ = ‘स्नानं कुर्वन्’ (present active participle, nom. sg. m.)

• तीर्थेषु: in sacred fords/places of pilgrimage
• तीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन (loc. pl.)

• नित्यशः: always, regularly
• नित्यशः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• समुद्रे: in the sea
• समुद्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषण); क्रमवाचक (adverbial accusative)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having bathed)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (ablatival adverb)

• गङ्गाम्: the Ganga river
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• व्यगाहत: entered / plunged into
• व्यगाहत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अव-गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. imperfect)

Speaker

Narrator

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Dharma Shastra

Philosophical Teaching

Subject Matter

Verse Rasa

Geographic Context

Cross References

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• Sacred Rivers

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies how Purāṇic cosmology (saptadvīpa) coexists with concrete pilgrimage practice (snāna at named waters), shaping cultural maps.

Which geographic location is identified?

Samudra (the ocean) and Gaṅgā (Ganges), a major north Indian river with extensive historical and literary attestations.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Purification is framed as repetitive discipline (nityaśaḥ) rather than a single act, emphasizing sustained ethical effort.