Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 76
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 7616 Shlokas

Adhyaya 76: Description of Svarga: Amarāvatī, the Sudharmā Assembly Hall, and the Directional Cities

Svarga-lokasya Amarāvatī-dharmasabhā ca (Sudharmā) — digpura-varṇanam

Ancient-Geography (Purāṇic Cosmography)

Dalam kerangka dialog Varāha–Pṛthivī, bab ini berfokus pada kosmografi Purāṇa. Rudra menggambarkan wilayah bercahaya di timur Gunung Meru, dikelilingi benteng pegunungan melingkar (cakravāṭa) dan kaya aneka mineral. Di dalamnya berdiri metropolis ilahi Amarāvatī, diperkokoh tembok emas jāmbūnada, dipenuhi istana-udara (vimāna), waduk besar, panji-panji, serta hiasan bunga, dan dihuni para dewa, yakṣa, apsarā, serta ṛṣi. Di pusatnya terdapat Sudharmā sabhā yang termasyhur, balairung bertatah permata tempat Indra (Śacīpati, Sahasrākṣa) memerintah di tengah para makhluk sempurna. Uraian lalu memetakan kota-kota penjuru yang terkait dewa-dewa utama—Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera, dan Īśāna—menampilkan svarga sebagai alam tertata dengan banyak kawasan.

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivīRudra

Key Concepts

Meru-centered cosmography (Meru, cakravāṭa)Amarāvatī as an idealized divine citySudharmā sabhā (divine assembly space)Directional polity: digpura system linked to deitiesMaterial splendor as a marker of cosmic order (dhātu, jāmbūnada, vajra, vaidūrya)Svarga as structured environment rather than purely moral abstraction
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 76

Shlokas in Adhyaya 76

Verse 1

रुद्र उवाच । तस्यैव मेरोः पूर्वे तु देशे परमवर्चसे । चक्रवाटपरिक्षिप्ते नानाधातुविराजिते ॥ ७६.१ ॥

Rudra bersabda: “Di sebelah timur Gunung Meru itu terdapat suatu wilayah yang amat bercahaya, dilingkupi cakravāṭa, dan berkilau oleh beraneka mineral.”

Verse 2

तत्र सर्वामरपुरं चक्रवातसमुद्धतम् । दुर्धर्षं बलदृप्तानां देवदानवरक्षसाम् । तत्र जाम्बूनदमयः सुप्राकारः सुतोरणः ॥ ७६.२ ॥

Di sana berdiri kota seluruh para amara, seakan terangkat oleh pusaran angin; tak tertembus bahkan bagi dewa, dānava, dan rākṣasa yang mabuk oleh kekuatan. Di sana ada tembok pelindung yang elok dari emas Jāmbūnada serta gerbang-gerbang yang indah.

Verse 3

तस्याप्युत्तरपूर्वे तु देशे परमवर्चसे । आलोकजनसंपूर्णा विमानशतसंकुला ॥ ७६.३ ॥

Di wilayah timur-laut kota itu terdapat negeri yang amat bercahaya, dipenuhi insan-insan bercahaya, dan padat oleh ratusan vimāna.

Verse 4

महावापीसमायुक्ता नित्यं प्रमुदिता शुभा । शोभिता पुष्पशबलैः पताकाध्वजमालिनी ॥ ७६.४ ॥

Dikaruniai dengan mahāvāpī (waduk/kolam besar), senantiasa bersukacita dan membawa keberkahan; kota itu dihiasi bunga-bunga beraneka warna serta dirangkai dengan panji-panji dan bendera.

Verse 5

देवैर्यक्षोप्सरोभिश्च ऋषिभिश्च सुषोभिता । पुरन्दरपुरी रम्या समृद्धा त्वमरावती ॥ ७६.५ ॥

Dihiasi oleh para dewa, Yakṣa, Apsaras, dan para Ṛṣi; kota Purandara yang memesona—engkaulah Amarāvatī—makmur dan berlimpah.

Verse 6

तस्या मध्येऽमरावत्यां वज्रवैडूर्यवेदिका । त्रैलोक्यगुणविख्याता सुधर्मा नाम वै सभा ॥ ७६.६ ॥

Di tengah Amarāvatī itu terdapat pelataran dari vajra (intan/berlian) dan vaidūrya (batu mata-kucing/beril). Di sana ada balairung bernama Sudharmā, termasyhur akan keunggulannya di tiga dunia.

Verse 7

तत्रास्ते श्रीपतेः श्रीमान् सहस्राक्षः शचीपतिः । सिद्धादिभिः परिवृतः सर्वाभिर्देवयोनिभिः ॥ ७६.७ ॥

Di sana, di hadapan Śrīpati (Viṣṇu), bersemayam Sahasrākṣa yang mulia, Śacīpati Indra; ia dikelilingi para Siddha dan semua golongan makhluk kelahiran ilahi.

Verse 8

तत्र चैव सुवंशः स्याद् भास्करस्य महात्मनः । साक्षात् तत्र सुराध्यक्षः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः ॥ ७६.८ ॥

Di sana pula dikatakan hadir garis keturunan mulia dari Bhāskara yang agung (Sang Surya). Di sana juga tampak nyata Sang penguasa para dewa, yang dihormati dengan sujud oleh semua dewa.

Verse 9

तस्याश्च दिक्षु विस्तीर्णा तत्तद्गुणसमन्विता । तेजोवती नाम पुरी हुताशस्य महात्मनः ॥ ७६.९ ॥

Di penjuru-penjuru wilayah itu terbentang luas sebuah kota yang dihiasi sifat-sifat yang sesuai; kota itu bernama Tejovatī, milik Hutāśa (Dewa Api) yang berhatiwa agung.

Verse 10

तत्तद्गुणवती रम्या पुरी वैवस्वतस्य च । नाम्ना संयमनी नाम पुरी त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता ॥ ७६.१० ॥

Milik Vaivasvata (Yama) pun ada kota yang elok, berhiaskan keutamaan-keutamaan demikian; namanya Saṃyamanī, kota yang termasyhur di tiga dunia.

Verse 11

तथा चतुर्थे दिग्भागे नैर्ऋताधिपतेः शुभा । नाम्ना कृष्णावती नाम विरूपाक्षस्य धीमतः ॥ ७६.११ ॥

Demikian pula pada bagian arah keempat, di bawah naungan mulia penguasa wilayah Naiṛta (barat daya), terdapat tempat bernama Kṛṣṇāvatī, terkait dengan Virūpākṣa yang bijaksana.

Verse 12

पञ्चमे ह्युत्तरपुटे नाम्ना शुद्धवती पुरी । उदकाधिपतेः ख्याता वरुणस्य महात्मनः ॥ ७६.१२ ॥

Pada bagian utara yang kelima terdapat kota bernama Śuddhavatī; kota itu termasyhur sebagai milik Varuṇa yang berhati agung, penguasa segala perairan.

Verse 13

तथा पञ्चोत्तरे देवस्वस्योत्तरपुटे पुरी । वायोर्गन्धवती नाम ख्याता सर्वगुणोत्तरा ॥ ७६.१३ ॥

Demikian pula pada bagian panco-uttara, di sisi utara Devasva terdapat sebuah kota; kota itu terkenal bernama Gandhavatī, milik Vāyu, dan disebut unggul dalam segala kebajikan.

Verse 14

तस्योत्तरपुटे रम्या गुह्यकाधिपतेः पुरी । नाम्ना महोदया नाम शुभा वैदूर्यवेदिका ॥ ७६.१४ ॥

Di sisi utaranya terdapat sebuah kota indah milik penguasa para Guhyaka. Kota itu bernama Mahodayā, penuh keberkahan, dan dihiasi pelataran dari permata vaidūrya.

Verse 15

तथाष्टमेऽन्तरपुटे ईशानस्य महात्मनः । पुरी मनोहरा नाम भूतैर्नानाविधैर्युता । पुष्पैर्धन्यैश्च विविधैर्वनैराश्रमसंस्थितैः ॥ ७६.१५ ॥

Demikian pula, di pelataran dalam yang kedelapan terdapat kota bernama Manoharā milik Īśāna yang berhati luhur. Kota itu dihuni beragam makhluk, serta dipenuhi bunga, biji-bijian, dan hutan aneka rupa tempat pertapaan berdiri.

Verse 16

प्रार्थ्यते देवलोकोऽयं स स्वर्ग इति कीर्तितः ॥ ७६.१६ ॥

Alam para dewa ini senantiasa didambakan; karena itu ia disebut ‘Svarga’ (surga).

Inside Adhyaya 76

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue frame, the discourse shifts to cosmography: a luminous region to the east of Mount Meru is introduced, bounded by a circular rampart-mountain (cakravāṭa) and distinguished by abundant minerals and radiance.

  2. Central event

    Rudra’s descriptive mapping of svarga’s eastern sector culminates in the portrayal of Amarāvatī—its golden fortifications, aerial vimānas, reservoirs, banners, floral ornamentation, and its inhabitants (devas, yakṣas, apsarases, ṛṣis, siddhas).

  3. Climax resolution

    The narrative peaks at the Sudharmā sabhā: a jewel-like assembly hall at Amarāvatī’s center where Indra (Śacīpati/Sahasrākṣa) presides among perfected beings, embodying ordered divine governance; it then resolves by extending the same order outward into a directional grid of deity-linked cities.

Geographical context

Mount Meru (Meru); meror pūrva-deśa (the eastern region of Meru); cakravāṭa-parikṣipta (encircling mountain/rampart); Amarāvatī; Sudharmā sabhā; Tejovatī (city of Hutāśa/Agni); Saṃyamanī (city of Vaivasvata/Yama); Kṛṣṇāvatī (city of Nirṛti/Virūpākṣa); Śuddhavatī (city of Varuṇa); Gandhavatī (city of Vāyu); Mahodayā (city of Guhyakādhipati/Kubera); Manoharā (city of Īśāna).

The narrative frame

  • Rudra (as presented within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue framework)Pṛthivī (Earth), within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī frame · Didactic and cartographic (cosmographic exposition), emphasizing ordered description over exhortation

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaAdbhuta (wonder)
  • Emotional ProgressionFrom awe at the radiant, mineral-rich Meru-adjacent landscape → heightened marvel at Amarāvatī’s opulence and celestial populace → reverential wonder at Sudharmā where Indra presides → intellectual satisfaction as the cosmos is completed through the directional city-system.

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityPrimarily cosmographic/mythic geography centered on Meru and svarga; not directly visitable as a terrestrial itinerary. For practice, one may pair study with visits to Indra/Deva-related temples or Meru-symbolic sacred mountains in one’s region, but the chapter itself does not anchor to a single identifiable earthly tīrtha.

Frequently Asked Questions

The chapter primarily instructs through cosmographic ordering: it presents svarga as a structured, directionally organized environment centered on Meru, where civic splendor, assembly space (Sudharmā), and deity-linked regions model an ideal of regulated cosmic governance rather than a direct code of social ethics.

No explicit chronological markers (tithi, nakṣatra, māsa, or seasonal observances) appear in this passage; the content is descriptive geography/cosmography rather than ritual timing.

Environmental balance is implied via spatial design: the realm is depicted as enclosed (cakravāṭa-parikṣipta), resource-rich (nānā-dhātu-virājita), and systematically partitioned into directional cities. This models a stable, managed cosmos that can be read as an analogue for terrestrial stewardship—order, containment, and resource awareness—within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī Earth-centered narrative tradition.

The passage references primarily deity figures rather than human lineages: Indra (Sahasrākṣa, Śacīpati), Agni (Hutāśa), Yama (Vaivasvata), Nirṛti (associated here with Virūpākṣa), Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera (Guhyakādhipati), and Īśāna, along with classes of beings (deva, yakṣa, apsaras, ṛṣi, siddha).

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