Varaha Purana 164.2 — Adhyaya 164, Shloka 2
The Efficacy of Circumambulating Annakūṭa
Govardhana
ह्रदं तत्र महाभागे द्रुमगुल्मलतायुतम् ॥ चत्वारि तत्र तीर्थानि पुण्यानि च शुभानि च ॥
hradaṃ tatra mahābhāge druma-gulma-latāyutam | catvāri tatra tīrthāni puṇyāni ca śubhāni ca ||
Hay allí un lago, oh afortunado, adornado con árboles, arbustos y enredaderas. Allí hay cuatro tīrthas —vados sagrados— meritorios y auspiciosos.
Varāha (continued discourse from 164.1)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"earth_interaction":"Varāha continues describing the ecology and tīrtha-structure of Govardhana to Bhū-devī, emphasizing auspiciousness."}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"attentive","key_question":"What features (lake and tīrthas) make this Govardhana area spiritually potent and auspicious?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":true,"specific_site":"Govardhana lake/hrad (unspecified name) with four tīrthas","parikrama_context":"The lake and its four tīrthas function as stations/anchors for parikramā and ritual bathing.","krishna_connection":"Indirect: Govardhana’s water-bodies and groves are later associated with Kṛṣṇa’s Braj ecology and līlā settings."}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"sacred-ecology","core_concept":"Natural features (water, groves) are carriers of puṇya when integrated into tīrtha culture and dharmic use.","practical_application":"Approach pilgrimage sites with reverence for their living ecology; treat groves and waters as sacred supports for sādhana."}
Subject Matter: ["Geography","Ecology","Heritage Sites"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: sacred water-body with grove ecology
Related Themes: Continuation of Annakūṭa-parikramā-prabhāva description: four tīrthas around the hrad
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene lake at Govardhana, ringed by dense vegetation, with four marked bathing ghats/tīrthas around it.","item_prompts":["lake with lotus hints","trees (drūma), shrubs (gulma), creepers (latā)","four small ghats or shrine-markers at cardinal points","pilgrims with water pots"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized blue-green hrad with ornate foliage borders, four tīrtha markers at edges, pilgrims in simple poses, decorative vegetal motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: shimmering lake with gold accents on tīrtha markers, rich green foliage, small temple icons at four points, jewel-toned composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: naturalistic grove shading, gentle ripples on water, refined ghat details, soft devotional ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: delicate vegetation, lyrical water surface, four tīrtha points shown as tiny shrines, airy composition with Braj-like pastoral feel."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"serene-descriptive","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"soft, pictorial, steady"}
FAQs
It records landscape features (a hrada with vegetation) alongside tīrtha enumeration, useful for studying how texts link ecology, water bodies, and pilgrimage mapping.
The setting is the Govardhana region; the verse mentions a lake and nearby tīrthas but does not name the lake in this excerpt.
By highlighting a vegetated water body as part of sacred space, the verse implicitly values preservation and respectful engagement with natural features.
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.