Varaha Purana 154.9: Adhyaya 154, Shloka 9

The Efficacy of Yamunā River Pilgrimage Sites

Merits of Mathurā-Region Tīrthas

Devanagari script

धारापतनके तीर्थे त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः ॥ एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो राजा कथां प्राग्जन्मसम्भवाम्

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 154.9

Transliteration

dhārāpatanake tīrthe tyaktvā jīvitamātmanaḥ|| etacchrutvā tato rājā kathāṃ prāgjanmasambhavām

Translation

ധാരാപതനക എന്ന തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഞാൻ എന്റെ ജീവൻ ത്യജിച്ചു. ഇത് കേട്ട രാജാവ് മുൻജന്മത്തിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന കഥയെ മനസ്സിൽ ആലോചിച്ചു.

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Word by Word

• धारापतनके: at (the place) called Dhārāpatana
• धारापतनके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक) + पतन (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय) → धारापतनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणरूपेण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘तीर्थे’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तीर्थे: in the tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having abandoned)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘श्रुत्वा’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb); क्रम/अनन्तर्ये (then/thereupon)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• कथाम्: story
• कथाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्राक्-जन्म-सम्भवाम्: arising from a former birth / about a previous birth
• प्राक्-जन्म-सम्भवाम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (प्राक् जन्मनः सम्भवा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कथाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Pīvarī then Narrative voice (about the king)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ancient Geography
• Sacred Topography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a toponym (Dhārāpatanaka) and links it to a narrative of death and continuity, useful for mapping Purāṇic sacred geography.

Which geographic location is identified?

Dhārāpatanaka-tīrtha (a named sacred site). Its precise modern identification is uncertain without additional textual and regional corroboration.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

A philosophical theme of accountability and transformation: actions and experiences at culturally significant places shape memory and moral orientation.