Varaha Purana 144.87: Adhyaya 144, Shloka 87

The Māhātmya of Someśvara and Related Liṅgas: The Liberation-Field of Triveṇī and the Śālagrāma Sacred Landscape

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha-māhātmya (Origin of river-confluence sanctity)

Devanagari script

देविका नाम देवानां प्रभावाच्च तपस्यताम् ॥ नियमार्थं समुद्भूता गण्डक्याः मिलिता शुभा ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 144.87

Transliteration

devikā nāma devānāṃ prabhāvāc ca tapasyatām || niyamārthaṃ samudbhūtā gaṇḍakyāḥ militā śubhā ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

देविका नाम की एक नदी बनी थी। देवियों और तप करने वाले रिशियों की ताकत से। यह धरम के लिए बनी थी और गंडकी में मिल गई।

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Word by Word

• देविका: Devikā (name of a river)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: देविका (प्रातिपदिक)

• नाम: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/particle indicating name)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रभावात्: from (their) power/effect
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• तपस्यताम्: of those performing austerities
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: तपस्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तप् (धातु) + स्य (desiderative/denominative) + शतृ)

• नियमार्थम्: for the purpose of discipline/observance
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य), एकवचन
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Root: नियम-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; नियम + अर्थ)

• समुद्भूता: arisen, originated
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: समुद्भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-उद्-√भू (धातु) + क्त)

• गण्डक्याः: of/with the Gaṇḍakī
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Root: गण्डकी (प्रातिपदिक)

• मिलिता: joined, united
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: मिलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मिल् (धातु) + क्त)

• शुभा: auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of देविका)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• प्रभावाच्च = प्रभावात् + च

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Tributary and confluence

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious; receptive to etiological sacred-geography

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of discipline supported by sacred ecology

Subjects

Sacred GeographyCosmology (sacral origin of rivers)Ethics (niyama)

Core idea

Nature (rivers) is not merely physical but dharma-bearing; sacred geography is an extension of tapas and divine intention toward niyama.

In practice

Approach rivers with vows of restraint (cleanliness, truthfulness, moderation); treat bathing/visiting as a commitment to niyama rather than tourism.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• River Mythology
• Ascetic Traditions
• Purāṇic Etiology
• Environmental Humanities

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It offers an etiological explanation for a named watercourse and its sanctity, illustrating how Purāṇic texts connect landscape features with ascetic and divine agency.

Which geographic location is identified?

Devikā (a named river) joining Gaṇḍakī. “Devikā” is a toponym used in multiple regions; precise modern identification requires correlating local traditions and manuscript recensions.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The term niyama foregrounds disciplined practice—suggesting that sacred landscapes are framed as supports for regulated ethical-spiritual conduct.