Varaha Purana 151.21: Adhyaya 151, Shloka 21

The Sacred Greatness of Lohārgala

The ‘Iron-Bolt’ Tīrtha

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha–Māhātmya (Divine implements and ritual paraphernalia)

Devanagari script

मार्गणा मे धनुस्तत्र अक्षसूत्रं कमण्डलुः ॥ आसनं विततं दिव्यं दीयतेऽश्वोपरि स्थिरम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 151.21

Transliteration

mārgaṇā me dhanus tatra akṣasūtraṃ kamaṇḍaluḥ || āsanaṃ vitataṃ divyaṃ dīyate'śvopari sthiram

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

वहाँ मेरे लिए तीर और धनुष है। माला है, पानी का लोटा है। एक आसमानी आसन बिछाया है। वो घोड़े पे पक्का लगा है।

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Word by Word

• mārgaṇāḥ: arrows
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: mārgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• me: my
• Type: Noun
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• Type: Noun
• Form: Napुṃsaka (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya, Deśavācaka adverb
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• akṣa-sūtram: rosary (string of beads)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Samāsa = Tatpuruṣa; Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sūtra (प्रातिपदिक)

• kamaṇḍaluḥ: water-pot
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: kamaṇḍalu (प्रातिपदिक)

• āsanam: seat
• Type: Noun
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)

• vitatam: spread out; extended
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Kṛdanta (kta), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with āsanam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: vi-√tan (तन् धातु) + kta (क्त)

• divyam: divine
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with āsanam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)

• dīyate: is given; is placed
• Type: Verb
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada, Karmaṇi prayoga (Passive/कर्मणि)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)

• aśva-upari: upon the horse
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Upapada construction: upari (indeclinable ‘upon’) governing aśva in Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive) by usage; sandhi form aśvopari
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + upari (अव्यय)

• sthiram: steady; firm
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with āsanam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: sthira (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• dīyate'śvopari → dīyate aśva-upari (avagraha)
• aśvopari = aśva + upari (vowel sandhi)

Speaker and setting

Vira and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Sādhana-synthesis (karma + upāsanā)

Subjects

Ritual PracticeIconographyMaterial Culture

Core idea

Spiritual authority is stabilized by discipline (āsana, japa, śauca) and expressed as protection (weapons) without contradiction.

In practice

In worship/visualization, hold together inner practice (japa, purity) and outer duty (protection, right action) as one offering.

Symbolism of the boar

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇava Iconography
• Ritual Objects

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It lists emblematic objects (weaponry and ascetic/ritual items) that help scholars trace overlapping registers of kingship/heroism and ascetic discipline in Purāṇic representation.

Which geographic location is identified?

No named site appears; the verse remains anchored by “there” (tatra) within the chapter’s tīrtha narrative.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The co-presence of akṣasūtra and kamaṇḍalu alongside weapons foregrounds a disciplined, regulated use of power under ritual and ethical constraints.