Varaha Purana 21.53: Adhyaya 21, Shloka 53
The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari-Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share
Pūrva Bhāga · Iconography and descriptive narrative (mūrti-lakṣaṇa / āyudha-alaṅkāra-varṇana)
तत्रैकं मुकुटोद्बद्धं मूर्द्धन्यं जटजालकम् । एकं प्रध्मापयच्छङ्खमन्यड्डुमरुकं शुभम् ॥ २१.५४ ॥
tatraikaṁ mukuṭodbaddhaṁ mūrddhanyaṁ jaṭajālakam | ekaṁ pradhmāpayacchaṅkham anyaḍ ḍumarukaṁ śubham || 21.54 ||
tatraikaM mukuTodbaddhaM mUrddhanyaM jaTajAlakam | ekaM pradhmApayachCha~NkhamanyaDumarukaM shubham || 21.54 ||
वहाँ एक रूप में जटाओं का बड़ा था, सिर पर मुकुट भी था। दूसरा रूप शंख बजा रहा था। तीसरा रूप डमरू ले के खड़ा था।
Sandhi Notes
- tatraikaṁ = tatra + ekam
- pradhmāpayacchaṅkham = pradhmāpayat + śaṅkham (t + ś → cch)
- anyaḍ ḍumarukam represents anyat ḍumarukam (t + ḍ- assimilation in transmission)
Varāha
Śaṅkha and ḍamaru signify two sacred sound-orders: auspicious proclamation (vaiṣṇava) and transformative rhythm (śaiva); both function within dharma’s cosmic liturgy.
Use sacred sound (mantra, nāda) to steady the mind; recognize multiple valid ‘nāda-mārga’ symbols across traditions.
21.21.55-56 (further iconographic contrasts: Kaustubha vs bhasma, etc.)
FAQs
It preserves a compact iconographic catalogue (mukuṭa/jaṭā, śaṅkha, ḍamaru) useful for correlating Purāṇic narrative description with the history of South Asian religious art and ritual performance, especially the depiction of divine or semi-divine figures with identifying attributes.
No specific geographic location is named in this verse fragment; it functions as descriptive narration rather than sacred-geography (tīrtha) identification.
The verse does not present a direct ethical injunction; its primary function is descriptive, foregrounding culturally significant attributes (ornamentation and ritual instruments) that signal identity and auspiciousness within the narrative.
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