Varaha Purana 157.2: Adhyaya 157, Shloka 2

Praise of the Malayārjuna Sacred Ford and the Mathurā-Yamunā Pilgrimage Cycle

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha-māhātmya (Site Description and Fruit of Observance)

Devanagari script

पर्यस्तं तत्र शकटं भिन्नभाण्डकुटीघटम् ॥ तत्र स्नानोपवासाभ्यामनन्तं फलमश्रुते ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 157.2

Transliteration

paryastaṃ tatra śakaṭaṃ bhinna-bhāṇḍa-kuṭī-ghaṭam || tatra snāna-upavāsābhyām anantaṃ phalam aśrute ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

वहाँ एक उल्टी हुई गाड़ी पड़ी है, और टूटे हुए बर्तन भी, जैसे कोई टूटा हुआ घर हो। वहाँ नहा के व्रत रखने से इतना पुण्य मिलता है जो गिनना मुश्किल है।

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Word by Word

• paryastam: overturned
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया) — 'overturned/thrown down' (qualifies śakaṭam)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: pari- (उपसर्ग) + as (धातु) + kta (क्त)

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Deictic adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय) — 'there'
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• śakaṭam: cart
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया) — 'cart'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; descriptive clause)
• Root: śakaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhinna-bhāṇḍa-kuṭī-ghaṭam: (with) broken vessels, hut, and pots
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया); dvandva listing items: 'broken vessels, hut, and pots' used adjectivally for śakaṭam (cart laden/associated with these)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: bhinna (mṛ/भिद् धातु + क्त) + bhāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṭī (प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Deictic adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय) — 'there'
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• snāna-upavāsābhyām: by bathing and fasting
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dual (द्विवचन), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया) — dvandva: 'by bathing and fasting'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)

• anantam: endless
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया) — qualifies phalam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)

• phalam: fruit/result
• Type: Noun
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया) — 'fruit/result'
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)

• aśrute: is obtained/said to accrue
• Type: Verb
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/Present), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद) — 'is heard/ is obtained (as per tradition)'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: śru (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• snāna-upavāsābhyām is dvandva in instrumental dual. bhinna-bhāṇḍa-kuṭī-ghaṭam treated as a coordinative listing (dvandva) used adjectivally
• internal hyphenation reflects compound chaining

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasa

Speaker

Varāha (contextual continuation)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious, contemplative about signs/markers and their merit

What she asks

What is the significance of these physical remnants at the site, and what practice yields the proclaimed ‘endless fruit’?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-yoga via niyama

Subjects

Heritage SitesRitual PracticeEthicsMaterial Culture

Core idea

Small, embodied disciplines (fasting, bathing) performed in a charged sacred context amplify spiritual results beyond ordinary measure.

In practice

Combine bodily restraint (upavāsa) with ritual purity (snāna) when visiting the site; treat even mundane objects as reminders to practice detachment and reverence.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha continues tīrtha-description, pointing out tangible markers (overturned cart, broken vessels) and prescribing snāna+upavāsa for merit.

Dharma

Vrata

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Tīrtha Literature
• Ancient Material Culture
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It combines ritual prescription with material-site markers, suggesting that physical objects and local lore helped pilgrims recognize and remember a tīrtha.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse continues the Malayārjuna-tīrtha setting, describing recognizable features at or near the kuṇḍa.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It emphasizes disciplined practice (fasting with bathing) and implies restraint and simplicity—values compatible with conserving and respecting heritage landscapes.