Varaha Purana 7.32: Adhyaya 7, Shloka 32

The Sanctity of Gayā: Raibhya’s Encounter and Hymn to Viṣṇu

Gadādhara

Devanagari script

सुरासुरैरर्च्चितपादपङ्कजं केयूरहाराङ्गद मौलिधारिणम् । अब्दौ शयानं च रथाङ्गपाणिनं गदाधरं प्रणमति यः सुखं वसेत् ॥ ७.३२ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 7.32

Transliteration

surāsurair arcchitapādapaṅkajaṁ keyūrahārāṅgada-maulidhāriṇam | abdau śayānaṁ ca rathāṅgapāṇinaṁ gadādharaṁ praṇamati yaḥ sukhaṁ vaset || 7.32 ||

Translation

អ្នកណាដែលក្រាបថ្វាយបង្គំដោយក្តីគោរពដល់ ព្រះអម្ចាស់កាន់គទា—ដែលផ្កាឈូកជើងត្រូវបានបូជាដោយទេវតា និងអសុរ; ពាក់កងដៃ ខ្សែក កងក្បាលដៃ និងមកុដ; សម្រាកលើសមុទ្រ; ហើយដៃកាន់ចក្រ—នោះនឹងរស់នៅដោយសុភមង្គល។

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Word by Word

• sura-asuraiḥ: by gods and demons
• sura-asuraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; द्वन्द्वः: 'by gods and demons'

• arcchita-pāda-paṅkajam: whose lotus-feet are worshipped
• arcchita-pāda-paṅkajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcchita/arcita (कृदन्त; √arc/अर्च्-पूजायाम्, PPP) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅkaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: 'whose lotus-feet are worshipped' (pāda-paṅkaja = karmadhāraya within)

• keyūra-hāra-aṅgada-mauli-dhāriṇam: wearing armlets, garlands, bracelets, and a crown
• keyūra-hāra-aṅgada-mauli-dhāriṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: keyūra (प्रातिपदिक) + hāra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgada (प्रातिपदिक) + mauli (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः listing ornaments + dhārin 'wearer' as final member (tatpurusha-like dependency)

• abdau: in the ocean
• abdau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abdi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• śayānam: lying (reclining)
• śayānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śī (धातु; शी-शयने) + śayāna (कृदन्त; present active participle)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• ratha-aṅga-pāṇinam: having the discus in his hand
• ratha-aṅga-pāṇinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: 'having the discus (rathāṅga) in hand'

• gadā-dharam: the mace-bearer
• gadā-dharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• praṇamati: bows down
• praṇamati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु; नम्-प्रणामे)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• sukham: happily
• sukham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya used adverbially

• vaset: may dwell
• vaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु; वस्-निवासे)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Varāha (default speaker per dialogue framework; explicit speaker not present in excerpt)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"krishna_connection":"Ocean-reclining Nārāyaṇa iconography is pan-Vaiṣṇava; no explicit Mathurā/Kṛṣṇa cue."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Practice of worship/praṇāma to the universally revered Lord (worshipped by sura and asura) is commended as a dharmic act yielding happiness.","karmic_consequence":"Reverence to the Lord’s lotus-feet leads to sukha; disrespect to the sacred (pāda-puṣpa/lotus-feet) is implicitly demeritorious (not explicit)."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"theistic contemplation (upāsanā)","core_concept":"The Lord is the refuge of all beings and the object of worship even for opposing cosmic factions; his feet are the locus of surrender.","practical_application":"Meditate on the lotus-feet; integrate iconographic contemplation (cakra, gadā, śayana) into japa/pūjā to stabilize devotion."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Devotional Practice","Iconography","Ethics"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: śānta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 7.7.31-35 (Gadādhara-stotra unit)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Gadādhara as ocean-reclining Nārāyaṇa, richly ornamented, with cakra in hand; gods and asuras together offer worship at his lotus-feet.","item_prompts":["Ocean waves","reclining posture (śayana)","cakra (rathāṅga)","gadā","ke yūra (armlets), hāra (necklace), aṅgada (bracelets), mauli (diadem)","groups of devas and asuras with offerings"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Ananta-śayana on stylized ocean, bold jewelry, devas/asuras symmetrically placed with lamps and flowers, saturated palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: reclining Viṣṇu with heavy gold-leaf ornaments, embossed ocean border, cakra highlighted, worshippers in gold-accented miniatures.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined reclining figure, intricate ornaments, soft ocean gradation, devas/asuras rendered with calm dignity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: poetic ocean scene with gentle waves, reclining Lord on a couch-like serpent implied, small worshipping figures, airy blues."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"majestic devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyāṇi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"sonorous, expansive"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic literary mode: concise stuti (praise) linked to a practical discipline (praṇāma/bowing). Such verses document the standardization of Vaiṣṇava iconographic markers (cakra, gadā, ocean-reclining posture) and the ethical-psychological framing of devotion as a source of sukha (well-being).

Which geographic location is identified?

No terrestrial pilgrimage site is named in this verse. The setting is cosmographic: the deity is described as reclining 'in/on the ocean' (abdau śayānam), a mythic-ocean motif rather than a specific mapped location.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse promotes a disciplined posture of reverence (praṇāma) toward an idealized, universally venerated figure, presenting respectful attention and humility as a means to cultivate sukha (stable well-being) rather than as coercive obligation.