Varaha Purana 159.15: Adhyaya 159, Shloka 15

The Procedure and Merit of Circumambulating Mathurā

Devanagari script

धरण्युवाच ॥ यथाविधानक्रमणं मथुरायामवाप्यते ॥ प्रदक्षिणाफलं सम्यगनुक्रमविधिं वद ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 159.15

Transliteration

dharaṇy uvāca || yathāvidhānakramaṇaṃ mathurāyām avāpyate || pradakṣiṇāphalaṃ samyag anukramavidhiṃ vada ||

Translation

धरणी ने पूछा कि मथुरा में चक्कर कैसे लगाते हैं, सही तरीका बताओ। इसका क्या फल मिलता है, वो भी बताओ।

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Word by Word

• धरणी: the Earth (goddess)
• धरणी: Karta (कर्ता / subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया / verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा-विधान-क्रमणम्: the circumambulation according to proper procedure
• यथा-विधान-क्रमणम्: Karma (कर्म / object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रमण (प्रातिपदिक; √क्रम् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यथाविधानम्’ (according to rule) इति अव्ययीभावपूर्वपदेन ‘क्रमणम्’ विशेष्यते

• मथुरायाम्: in Mathurā
• मथुरायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण / locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• प्रदक्षिणा-फलम्: the fruit of circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणा-फलम्: Karma (कर्म / object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘प्रदक्षिणायाः फलम्’ (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण / adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘properly/fully’

• अनुक्रम-विधिम्: the method in proper sequence
• अनुक्रम-विधिम्: Karma (कर्म / object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक; अनु + √क्रम् (धातु) + घञ्/अ) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘अनुक्रमस्य विधिः’ (procedure of sequence)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया / verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Pṛthivī/Dharaṇī

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa Studies
• Dialogic Literature
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It signals a transition from praise to procedural codification, showing the Purāṇa’s role as an instructional text for pilgrimage practice.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā (modern Mathura, Uttar Pradesh).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The emphasis is on correct method and orderly practice (vidhi, anukrama), highlighting procedural integrity in cultural-ritual contexts.