Varaha Purana 166.18: Adhyaya 166, Shloka 18

The Greatness of the Sacred Pond Called Asikuṇḍa

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha-Māhātmya (Wonder and Purificatory Vision)

Devanagari script

तत्राश्चर्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि मनःकर्णसुखावहम् ॥ पश्यन्ति मनुजाः सिद्धाः सर्वपापविवर्जिताः ।

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 166.18

Transliteration

tatrāścaryaṁ pravakṣyāmi manaḥkarṇasukhāvaham || paśyanti manujāḥ siddhāḥ sarvapāpavivarjitāḥ |

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

അവിടെ ഞാൻ മനസ്സിനും ചെവിക്കും ആനന്ദം പകരുന്ന ഒരു അത്ഭുതം വിവരിക്കും. സർവ്വപാപവിവർജിതരായ സിദ്ധ മനുഷ്യർ അതിന്റെ ഫലം ദർശിക്കുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• तत्र: there/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• आश्चर्यम्: a wonder
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma)
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• Type: Verb
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)

• मनः-कर्ण-सुख-आवहम्: bringing joy to mind and ear
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: मनसः कर्णस्य च सुखम् आवहति इति
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier of आश्चर्यम्)
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: क्रिया (Action)
• Root: पश् (धातु)

• मनुजाः: men/humans
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)

• सिद्धाः: accomplished/perfected
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of मनुजाः
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Root: सिद्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)

• सर्व-पाप-विवर्जिताः: free from all sins
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: सर्वेभ्यः पापेभ्यः विवर्जिताः
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त)

Sandhi Notes

• तत्राश्चर्यं = तत्र + आश्चर्यम्
• मनःकर्णसुखावहम् = मनः + कर्ण + सुख + आवहम् (internal sandhi: मनः + कर्ण → मनःकर्ण)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Tīrtha/kṣetra

Speaker

Varāha (implicit, continuing narration)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Soteriology via tīrtha-śravaṇa/darśana

Subjects

Pilgrimage CulturePurificationSacred Geography

Core idea

Śraddhā and attentive hearing/seeing of sacred narratives and places conduce to pāpa-kṣaya and spiritual eligibility (siddhatva).

In practice

Approach tīrtha-kathā with focused listening and ethical preparation; treat pilgrimage as inner purification, not mere travel.

The Varaha avatara

Aspect

Battle fury

With the Earth

Varāha speaks as narrator, promising to describe an āścarya (marvel) connected with purification and sacred place-fruit.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Soteriological Motifs

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It signals a didactic ‘marvel’ section typical of tīrtha-māhātmya literature, used to communicate the perceived efficacy of place-based ritual and ethical discipline.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse is deictic (‘there’), continuing the Mathurā-centered narrative established earlier in the chapter.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Purity and self-discipline are implied prerequisites for perceiving the text’s promised benefits.