Varaha Purana 97.28: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 28

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

Pūrva Bhāga · Tīrtha-māhātmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Narratives)

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा तथा नत्वा त्रिजलेश्वरसंज्ञितम्॥ अयोध्यायां तथा गत्वा वाराणस्यां ततोऽगमत्॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.28

Transliteration

tatra snātvā tathā natvā trijaleśvara-saṃjñitam || ayodhyāyāṃ tathā gatvā vārāṇasyāṃ tato 'gamat ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Nachdem er dort gebadet und sich ebenso vor (der Gottheit) namens Trijaleśvara verneigt hatte, ging er nach Ayodhyā und zog danach weiter nach Vārāṇasī.

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Word by Word

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place (देशवाचक)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• snātvā: having bathed
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)
• Role: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Root: snā (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)

• tathā: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)

• natvā: having bowed
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)
• Role: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Root: nam (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)

• trijaleśvara-saṃjñitam: (a place) called Trijaleśvara
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘named (as) Trijaleśvara’ (त्रिजलेश्वर इति संज्ञितम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: trijaleśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)

• ayodhyāyām: in Ayodhyā
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)

• tathā: then/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)

• gatvā: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)
• Role: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Root: gam (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)

• vārāṇasyām: in Vārāṇasī
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)

• tataḥ: from there / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (ततः = ‘from there/then’)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)

• agamat: went
• Type: Verb
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, Aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: gam (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• त्रिजलेश्वरसंज्ञितम् = त्रिजलेश्वर + संज्ञितम्
• ततोऽगमत् = ततः + अगमत्

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasa

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Attentive, contemplative

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Sacred geography as sādhanā

Subjects

Heritage SitesSacred GeographyPilgrimage RoutesHistorical Toponyms

Core idea

Movement through kṣetras is a movement through layered dharma—local deity reverence culminating in pan-Indic centers of sanctity.

In practice

When traveling to major tīrthas, honor intermediate/local shrines with humility; treat the journey as continuous worship, not only the destination.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa
• Ancient Cities
• Cultural Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It juxtaposes multiple major toponyms (Ayodhyā, Vārāṇasī) within a single travel sequence, illustrating how Purāṇic composition can link renowned urban centers through tīrtha itineraries.

Which geographic location is identified?

Ayodhyā (commonly identified with modern Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh) and Vārāṇasī (Varanasi/Kashi). Trijaleśvara is a named shrine/deity requiring further regional correlation.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It foregrounds respectful engagement with sites—bathing and bowing—presented as disciplined cultural practice within a sacred-geographic journey.