Varaha Purana 162.3: Adhyaya 162, Shloka 3

The Efficacy and Merit of Cakra-tīrtha

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha–Māhātmya (Śālagrāma pilgrimage frame)

Devanagari script

स कन्यां पुत्रम् आदाय ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः ॥ शालिग्रामं महापुण्यम् अगच्छद् ब्राह्मणोत्तमः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 162.3

Transliteration

sa kanyāṃ putram ādāya brāhmaṇo vedapāragaḥ || śālagrāmaṃ mahāpuṇyam agacchad brāhmaṇottamaḥ

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

वो ब्राह्मण वेदों का बहुत ज्ञानी था। उसने अपनी बेटी और बेटे को साथ लिया। फिर वो शालिग्राम चला गया। शालिग्राम एक ऐसा जगह है जहाँ बहुत पुण्य मिलता है। वो ब्राह्मण बड़ों में भी बड़ा था।

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• kanyām: a daughter / girl
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)

• putram: a son
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)

• ādāya: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken’ (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: ā-√dā (दा धातु)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: the Brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• veda-pāragaḥ: versed in the Vedas
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (vedān pāragataḥ)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + pāraga (प्रातिपदिक)

• śālagrāmam: to Śālagrāma
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (śālā + grāma) as place-name
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / Gati-karman (गतिकर्म)
• Root: śālagrāma (प्रातिपदिक)

• mahā-puṇyam: very holy
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with śālagrāmam; कर्मधारयः (mahac ca tat puṇyam)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)

• agacchat: went
• Type: Verb
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)

• brāhmaṇa-uttamaḥ: the best of Brahmins
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (uttamo brāhmaṇaḥ)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to brāhmaṇaḥ/saḥ)
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• vedapāragaḥ → veda-pāragaḥ
• brāhmaṇottamaḥ → brāhmaṇa-uttamaḥ (a+u→o sandhi)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Tīrtha / sacred river-stone region

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Path

Bhakti Dharma

Subjects

GeographyHeritage SitesEthics

Core idea

Sacred geography becomes a lived sādhanā when approached with śraddhā and right conduct, even within gṛhastha life.

In practice

Undertake pilgrimage with self-restraint and devotional intent; treat holy places as occasions for inner purification, not mere travel.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Pilgrimage Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It situates Śālagrāma as a major tīrtha within Purāṇic pilgrimage networks and shows family-accompanied travel as a narrative motif.

Which geographic location is identified?

Śālagrāma is named as the destination; in wider Sanskrit literature it is commonly associated with the Gandakī region, though this fragment alone does not specify.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, it valorizes learning (Vedic mastery) and purposeful travel to culturally significant sites.