Varaha Purana 197.4: Adhyaya 197, Shloka 4

The Division of the Gates of Yama’s City and the Description of the Tribunal Hall

Devanagari script

प्रवेशस्तत्र तेषां हि विहितो धर्मदर्शिनाम् ॥ राजते गोपुरं सर्वं शारदाभ्रचयप्रभम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 197.4

Transliteration

praveśas tatra teṣāṃ hi vihito dharma-darśinām || rājate gopuraṃ sarvaṃ śāradābhra-caya-prabham ||

Translation

सिर्फ वही लोग अंदर जा सकते हैं जो धरम को समझते हैं। पूरा गोपुर चमक रहा है, जैसे बारिश के बाद बादल चमकते हैं।

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Word by Word

• प्रवेशः: entry/entrance
• प्रवेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तेषाम्: for them/of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• विहितः: ordained/appointed
• विहितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agreeing with ‘प्रवेशः’

• धर्म-दर्शिनाम्: of the righteous/seers of dharma
• धर्म-दर्शिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (धातु) + णिनि/इनि (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: दर्शिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं पश्यन्ति इति)

• राजते: shines
• राजते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गोपुरम्: gateway-tower
• गोपुरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular

• सर्वम्: entire/all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agreeing with ‘गोपुरम्’

• शारद-अभ्र-चय-प्रभम्: radiant like a heap of autumn clouds
• शारद-अभ्र-चय-प्रभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चय (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘having the radiance of a mass of autumn clouds’ (शारदाभ्रचयस्य प्रभा यस्य)

Speaker

Ṛṣiputra (continuation; explicit in 197.1)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Dharma Discourse
• Sacred Space Regulation

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic 'ethical zoning' of sacred space—entry framed as appropriate for dharma-oriented persons—alongside a classic poetic simile used in architectural description.

Which geographic location is identified?

No named site appears in this excerpt; it describes an entry policy and the appearance of a gopura.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Access is associated with dharma-darśana—conduct and discernment are presented as prerequisites for approaching certain sacred precincts.