Varaha Purana 159.12: Adhyaya 159, Shloka 12

The Procedure and Merit of Circumambulating Mathurā

Uttara Bhāga · Mathurā Māhātmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Merit)

Devanagari script

सप्तद्वीपे च तीर्थानां भ्रमणाद्यत्फलं भवेत् ॥ प्राप्यते चाधिकं तस्मान्मथुरायाः परिक्रमॆ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 159.12

Transliteration

saptadvīpe ca tīrthānāṃ bhramaṇād yatphalaṃ bhavet || prāpyate cādhikaṃ tasmān mathurāyāḥ parikrame ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

सात द्वीप के सारे तीर्थों में घूमेगा तो जो पुण्य मिलेगा। उससे भी ज़्यादा पुण्य मथुरा के चक्कर लगाने से मिलता है।

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Word by Word

• सप्त-द्वीपे: in the seven continents
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘सप्तद्वीपे (लोके/मण्डले)’ इति अधिकरणम्
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण / locative)
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / connective)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• तीर्थानाम्: of sacred places
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / genitive)
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)

• भ्रमणात्: from wandering
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे—‘भ्रमणात्’ = ‘by/through wandering’
• Role: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान / cause-source)
• Root: भ्रमण (प्रातिपदिक; √भ्रम् (धातु) + ल्युट्)

• यत्: which
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-विशेषण—‘फलम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण / qualifier)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता / subject)
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)

• भवेत्: would be
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (potential/optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया / verbal predicate)
• Root: √भू (धातु)

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is obtained’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया / verbal predicate)
• Root: √प्राप्/√आप् (धातु) प्र +

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / connective)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अधिकम्: more / greater
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘more (than that)’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण / qualifier)
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थक-प्रयोगः (ablative sense): ‘therefore/from that’
• Role: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान / cause)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मथुरायाः: of Mathurā
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / genitive)
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)

• परिक्रमे: in the circumambulation
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘परिक्रमे’ = ‘in the circumambulation’
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण / locative)
• Root: परिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक; √क्रम् (धातु) परि + घञ्/अ)

Sandhi Notes

• यत्फलं = यत् फलम्
• चाधिकं = च अधिकम्
• तस्मान्मथुरायाः = तस्मात् मथुरायाः

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Sacred city/region; pilgrimage circuit

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Bhakti-oriented sacred geography (kṣetra-tattva)

Subjects

Ancient GeographyHeritage SitesPilgrimageComparative Merit

Core idea

Concentrated sanctity: a single divinely-charged kṣetra can embody and surpass dispersed merits of many tīrthas.

In practice

Prefer focused, rule-based parikramā of a mahā-kṣetra (Mathurā) over aimless extensive wandering; cultivate śraddhā in kṣetra-mahattva.

Dharma

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa Studies
• Ancient Geography
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies the Māhātmya genre, where regional sacred landscapes are elevated through comparative claims, supporting the growth of localized pilgrimage networks.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā—historically identified with modern Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, a major North Indian cultural-heritage center.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The instruction prioritizes focused, disciplined practice (circumambulation) over extensive travel, emphasizing accessibility and intentionality.