Varaha Purana 114.50: Adhyaya 114, Shloka 50
The Varāha Incarnation and Pṛthivī’s Inquiries on Ritual Procedure and Devotional Outcomes
Pūrva Bhāga · Vrata–Dāna–Bhakti Phala (Dialogic Instructions on Ascetic Observances)
तेषां तु का गतिर् देव कथ्यते चैव शाश्वती ॥ अवाङ्मुखस्तु भूत्वा वै यः प्रपद्येज्जनार्द्दनम् ॥
teṣāṃ tu kā gatir deva kathyate caiva śāśvatī || avāṅmukhas tu bhūtvā vai yaḥ prapadyej janārddanam ||
teShAM tu kA gatirdeva kathyate chaiva shAshvatI || avA~Nmukhastu bhUtvA vai yaH prapadyejjanArddanam
भगवान, उस इंसान का क्या होता है जो चेहरा नीचे कर के लेटा है। जो जनार्दन की शरण में आता है, उसकी जगह कैसी है, वो भी हमेशा वाली।
Sandhi Notes
- गतिर् देव → गतिḥ deva
- चैव → ca eva
- प्रपद्येज्जनार्द्दनम् → prapadyet janārddanam (t + j → jj sandhi)
Pṛthivī (Inquirer)
Curious, probing unusual ascetic/devotional postures and their salvific efficacy
What is the everlasting destination of one who becomes face-down (avāṅmukha) and takes refuge in Janārdana?
Lowering the face/head signifies dissolution of ahaṅkāra; refuge in Janārdana is treated as the decisive salvific act.
Practice praṇāma/prostration with sincere inner surrender rather than mere physicality; align body, speech, and mind toward refuge.
Dialogic: Earth asks; the Lord is the implied respondent.
Implied observance: adopting a prostrated/face-down posture as an act of refuge (prapatti) to Janārdana.
Implied ‘śāśvatī gati’ is sought.
Everlasting destination implied; details not given in this verse.
Janārdana-name is Vaiṣṇava.
Varāha Purāṇa 114.57 (head-down lying; renunciation)
FAQs
It provides evidence for posture-based austerities within Purāṇic vrata descriptions, useful for mapping the repertoire of embodied practices.
No geographic location is mentioned.
The verse emphasizes surrender (prapatti) expressed through disciplined bodily practice, and asks about its resulting ‘gati’.
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