Varaha Purana 144.21 — Adhyaya 144, Shloka 21

The Māhātmya of Someśvara and Related Liṅgas: The Liberation-Field of Triveṇī and the Śālagrāma Sacred Landscape

Devanagari script

त्रिपुरघ्नं महाकालमन्धकादिनिषूदनम् ॥ गजाजिनावृतं स्थाणुं व्याघ्रचर्मविभूषितम्

Transliteration

tripuraghnaṃ mahākālamandhakādiniṣūdanam || gajājināvṛtaṃ sthāṇuṃ vyāghracarmavibhūṣitam

Translation

ຜູ້ປະຫານຕຣິປຸຣະ ເປັນມະຫາກາລ ຜູ້ທຳລາຍອັນທະກະ ແລະອື່ນໆ; ພຣະສະຖານຸຜູ້ບໍ່ຫວັ່ນໄຫວ ຫໍ່ດ້ວຍໜັງຊ້າງ ແລະປະດັບດ້ວຍໜັງເສືອ।

Word by Word

• त्रिपुरघ्नम्: slayer of Tripura
• त्रिपुरघ्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपुर-घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; त्रिपुर + घ्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘slayer of Tripura’

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘the great Kāla (Mahākāla)’

• अन्धकादि: Andhaka and others
• अन्धकादि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; अन्धक + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थ-पूर्वपद; ‘Andhaka and others’ (as a group)

• निषूदनम्: destroyer
• निषूदनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-√सूद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्युट्/ण्वुल्-प्रत्ययार्थक नामधातु-निर्मित), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘destroyer/slayer’

• गजाजिनावृतम्: covered with elephant-skin
• गजाजिनावृतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज-अजिन-आवृत (प्रातिपदिक; गज + अजिन + आवृत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘आवृत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘covered with elephant-hide’

• स्थाणुम्: Sthāṇu (the immovable one)
• स्थाणुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (epithet of Śiva)

• व्याघ्रचर्मविभूषितम्: adorned with tiger-skin
• व्याघ्रचर्मविभूषितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याघ्र-चर्म-विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक; व्याघ्र + चर्म + विभूषित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘विभूषित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘adorned with tiger-skin’

Speaker

Soma (inferred: stuti sequence)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"observer","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"theology (iconic epithets)","core_concept":"The transcendent Lord is praised through concrete epithets and mythic deeds that signify his cosmic sovereignty.","practical_application":"Use stuti (praise) as a contemplative method: recall divine deeds to stabilize faith and courage in adversity."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Mythology","Iconography","Ethics"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vīra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mythic-cosmic

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 144.24–27 (continuing Soma’s stuti and Śiva’s boon)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Soma’s hymn visualizes Śiva as Tripuraghna and Mahākāla, clad in elephant hide and tiger skin, radiating immovable power.","item_prompts":["Śiva with tiger-skin garment","elephant-hide wrap","fierce yet composed face","trident (optional, implied Śaiva iconography)","crescent moon motif (Soma context)","aura of time (Mahākāla)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal Śiva, bold outlines, saturated greens/reds, tiger-skin patterning, elephant-hide drape, serene-ugra balance.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Śiva with gold-leaf halo, embossed tiger-skin motifs, rich jewelry minimal (ascetic), dramatic Mahākāla aura.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: delicate shading, refined textiles for skins, calm face with latent ferocity, subdued background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: Himalayan palette, Śiva as ascetic-warrior, stylized animal skins, narrative vignette of Tripura/Andhaka hinted in background."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"majestic-stuti, slightly fierce","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"resonant, firm, reverential"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Myth
• Śaiva Traditions
• Sanskrit Epithets

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It condenses multiple myth-cycles into epithets, illustrating how Purāṇic texts serve as mnemonic summaries of larger narratives and as sources for iconographic conventions.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic identifier appears here; the verse is epithet-based.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The epithets frame the ideal of removing destructive forces (internal or societal) as a legitimate function of cosmic governance.