Varaha Purana 137.19: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 19

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

यत्र संस्थाः च मे देवि ह्युद्धृतासि रसातलात् ।। यत्र भागीरथी गङ्गा मम सौकरवे स्थिता ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 137.19

Transliteration

yatra saṁsthā ca me devi hy uddhṛtāsi rasātalāt | yatra bhāgīrathī gaṅgā mama saukarave sthitā ||

Translation

എവിടെ, ദേവീ, നീ എനോടൊപ്പം വസിക്കുന്നു; എവിടെ നീ രസാതലത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഉയർത്തപ്പെട്ടുവോ; കൂടാതെ എവിടെ ഭാഗീരഥീ ഗംഗ എന്റെ സൗകരവത്തിൽ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിതയായിരിക്കുന്നുവോ.

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Word by Word

• yatra: where

• saṁsthā: abiding/established

• ca: and

• me: with me/of me

• devi: O goddess

• hi: indeed

• uddhṛtā asi: you were lifted up

• rasātalāt: from Rasātala (nether realm)

• bhāgīrathī: Bhāgīrathī (epithet/name of Gaṅgā)

• gaṅgā: the Ganges

• mama: my

• saukarave: in Saukarava

• sthitā: situated/established

Speaker

Varāha (default instructor voice; references Pr̥thivī’s uplift)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

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

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"parikrama_context":"Pilgrimage-procession context (followers accompanying the king), but no explicit parikramā."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}

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":"social dharma (gṛhastha participation)","core_concept":"Dharma and pilgrimage can be pursued within household life; family accompaniment signifies shared merit and communal religiosity.","practical_application":"Undertake sacred journeys with ethical order and mutual support; integrate devotion with family responsibilities."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Cosmology","Geography","Heritage Sites","Ecology"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: vīra

Geographic Context

Type: travel route / yātrā

Cross References

Related Themes: Narrative lead-in to Saukarava tīrtha inquiry (Dhārā’s questions)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal procession moves out: the king is followed by wives, sons, and attendants, suggesting a large pilgrimage caravan.","item_prompts":["royal chariot or palanquin","women and children in procession","banners and parasols","pack animals","road leading toward a sacred landscape"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: long horizontal procession, rhythmic repetition of figures, ornate parasols, stylized foliage framing the path.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central king emphasized with gold, smaller accompanying figures, decorative borders, minimal background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed textiles and jewelry, gentle movement, architectural hint of palace gate behind.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: winding path through hills/fields, many small figures, narrative clarity with a destination shrine in distance."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative, forward-moving","suggested_raga":"Desh or Khamaj (journey-like, light gravity)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, storytelling"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Ancient Geography
• Ecological Narratives

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It ties the Varāha myth of Earth’s restoration (Pr̥thivī-uddhāra) to a specific sacred landscape, a hallmark of the Varāha Purāṇa’s integration of cosmology with place.

Which geographic location is identified?

Saukarava is identified as the locus where Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā is said to be established; this is a Purāṇic sacred-geography claim requiring corroboration for modern mapping.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse reinforces a cultural memory of “restoration of Earth” and situates it in a landscape, supporting stewardship-oriented readings without prescribing coercive doctrine.