Varaha Purana 186.4: Adhyaya 186, Shloka 4

Ritual Procedure for Installing Silver and Gold Images, and the Special Status of Śālagrāma

Uttara Bhāga (provisional) · Pratimā installation: entry into the shrine and arghya

Devanagari script

स्तुतिभिर्मङ्गलैश्चैव मम वेश्मन्युपानयेत् ।। अर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं गृह्य इमं मन्त्रमुदाहरेत् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 186.4

Transliteration

stutibhir maṅgalaiś caiva mama veśmany upānayet || arghya-pādyādikaṁ gṛhya imaṁ mantram udāharet ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Modern Hindi

भजन और अच्छे शब्द बोल के उस मूर्ति को मंदिर में लाओ। पानी और फूल जैसी चीज़ें हाथ में लो। फिर यह मंत्र बोलो।

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Word by Word

• stutibhiḥ: with praises
• Type: Noun
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Tṛtīyā (Instr./3rd), Bahuvacana (pl.)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक)

• maṅgalaiḥ: with auspicious (chants/acts)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga (n.), Tṛtīyā (Instr./3rd), Bahuvacana (pl.)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Root: ca (अव्यय)

• eva: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Root: eva (अव्यय)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen./6th), Ekavacana (sg.)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)

• veśmani: in the house/temple
• Type: Noun
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga (n.), Saptamī (Loc./7th), Ekavacana (sg.)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: veśman (वेश्मन् प्रातिपदिक)

• upānayet: should bring/lead near
• Type: Verb
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: upa-√nī (नी धातु)

• arghya-pādya-ādikam: arghya, pādya, etc. (offerings)
• Type: Noun
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana (sg.); samāsa: arghyaṃ pādyaṃ ca ādiḥ yasya (collection sense)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: arghya (प्रातिपदिक) + pādya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)

• gṛhya: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय; गृहीत्वा-artha), 'having taken'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Root: grah (ग्रह् धातु)

• imam: this
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana (sg.); viśeṣaṇa of 'mantram'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम)

• mantram: mantra
• Type: Noun
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana (sg.)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)

• udāharet: should recite/utter
• Type: Verb
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: ud-√āhṛ (हृ धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• veśmany upānayet = veśmani upānayet (y-sandhi)
• caiva = ca eva
• mantram udāharet = mantraṃ udāharet (anusvāra sandhi)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Bhakti rasaSetting: Shrine/temple-space (gṛha/veśman)

Speaker

Varāha (continued instruction)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ritual-dharma (ācāra)

Subjects

Ritual ProcedureHeritage Sites (shrine practice)

Core idea

Bhakti is stabilized through ordered upacāra and mantra—outer precision supports inner reverence.

In practice

In pūjā, begin with maṅgala/stotra, then perform arghya–pādya etc. before mantra-japa/nyāsa or further offerings.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Pūjā Protocol
• Sanskrit Ritual Vocabulary

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a structured sequence of installation worship—procession into the shrine, followed by standard offering categories (arghya, pādya), reflecting widely shared Indic ritual grammar.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place is named; “veśman” indicates the ritual space (shrine/house).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

To approach cultural-ritual acts with decorum—praise, auspicious speech, and respectful offerings—emphasizing orderly hospitality-like conduct.