Varaha Purana 82.2: Adhyaya 82, Shloka 2

The Descent of the Rivers: The Sky-Gaṅgā and Her Fourfold Division

Devanagari script

अथ नदीनाmवतारं शृणुत ।

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 82.2

Transliteration

atha nadīnām avatāraṁ śṛṇuta |

Translation

ບັດນີ້ຈົ່ງຟັງເລື່ອງອະວະຕາຣ ຄືກຳເນີດ/ການສືບລົງມາຂອງແມ່ນ້ຳທັງຫຼາຍ

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Word by Word

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; maṅgala/krama-nipāta (क्रम-निपात, discourse particle)

• nadīnām: of rivers
• nadīnām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• avatāram: descent/origin (account)
• avatāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (द्वितीया/2nd case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• śṛṇuta: listen (you all)
• śṛṇuta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष/2nd person), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Rudra

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Ecological Narratives

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It introduces a thematic unit on rivers, a major feature of Purāṇic sacred geography that blends cosmology with cultural memory of landscapes.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific river is named yet; the verse announces the topic broadly.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

An instructional posture is established—knowledge transmission about rivers, often foundational for later cultural-heritage and stewardship discussions.