Varaha Purana 182.2: Adhyaya 182, Shloka 2

Installation of a Stone Image

Ritual Procedure for Consecration

Uttara Bhāga · Pratimā-pratiṣṭhā / Śaila-arcā-sthāpanavidhi

Devanagari script

सुरूपां च शिलां दृष्ट्वा निःशल्यां सुपरिक्षिताम् ॥ तत्र दक्षं रूपकारं शीघ्रं च विनियोजयेत् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 182.2

Transliteration

surūpāṃ ca śilāṃ dṛṣṭvā niḥśalyāṃ suparīkṣitām || tatra dakṣaṃ rūpakāraṃ śīghraṃ ca viniyojayet ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

जब तुम्हे अच्छी पत्थर मिले जो साफ हो और कोई क्रैक न हो, अच्छे से चेक कर लेना। फिर जल्दी से किसी एक्सपर्ट स्कल्प्टर को बुला लेना।

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Word by Word

• su-rūpām: well-formed/beautiful
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying śilām
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: ca (अव्यय)

• śilām: stone/slab
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of dṛṣṭvā)
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), having seen
• Role: Kriya (क्रियापूर्वक/preceding action)
• Root: dṛś (धातु)

• niḥ-śalyām: free from flaws/foreign matter
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying śilām; niḥ = without
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: nis (उपसर्ग) + śalya (प्रातिपदिक)

• su-parīkṣitām: well-examined
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying śilām
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: su (अव्यय) + parīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from pari+īkṣ)

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of place (देशवाचक)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)

• dakṣam: skilled
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying rūpakāram
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)

• rūpakāram: sculptor/image-maker
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of viniyojayet)
• Root: rūpakāra (प्रातिपदिक)

• śīghram: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya-kalpa (अव्ययवत्), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) from neuter accusative singular
• Role: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Root: ca (अव्यय)

• viniyojayet: should employ/assign
• Type: Verb
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/prescription)
• Root: vi + ni + yuj (धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• niḥśalyām = niḥ + śalyām (visarga before ś)
• suparīkṣitām = su + parīkṣitām. śīghram is adverbial accusative (avyayavat)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Ritual/worksite

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ritual-ethics of craftsmanship

Subjects

Material CultureRitual StudiesCraft Traditions

Core idea

Śuddha-dravya (pure material) and kuśala-kartṛ (skilled agent) are necessary supports for sacred presence (arcā).

In practice

In any consecratory project, verify materials (soundness, absence of flaws) and appoint qualified specialists rather than improvising.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Temple Art
• Iconography
• Heritage Conservation

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents technical criteria for selecting stone and the recognized role of specialized artisans, relevant to the study of early Indian craft guilds and temple construction.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified; the instruction is portable and applicable to multiple sacred or civic building contexts.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Due diligence—careful examination of materials and reliance on expertise—functions as a practical ethic in ritual craftsmanship.