Varaha Purana 174.87: Adhyaya 174, Shloka 87

The Sanctifying Power of River Confluences: Release from the Preta-State and the Rite of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī with Vāmana Worship

Devanagari script

प्राप्तं तीर्थप्रभावस्य श्रवणान्मुक्तिदं फलम् ॥ तिलकं सर्वधर्माणां पञ्चप्रेतत्वमुक्तिदम्

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 174.87

Transliteration

prāptaṃ tīrthaprabhāvasya śravaṇānmuktidaṃ phalam || tilakaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ pañcapretatvamuktidam

Translation

തീർത്ഥപ്രഭാവം ശ്രവണമാത്രംകൊണ്ട് മോക്ഷദായകമായ ഫലം ലഭിക്കുന്നു. ഇത് സർവ്വധർമ്മങ്ങളുടെ തിലകവും പഞ്ച-പ്രേതത്വാവസ്ഥയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള വിമോചനവും നൽകുന്നു॥

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• प्राप्तम्: obtained
• प्राप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), ‘obtained/attained’

• तीर्थ-प्रभावस्य: of the power of the tīrtha
• तीर्थ-प्रभावस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य प्रभावः)

• श्रवणात्: from hearing
• श्रवणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/ablative), एकवचन

• मुक्ति-दम्: giving liberation
• मुक्ति-दम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/acc.), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मुक्तिं ददाति इति)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/acc.), एकवचन

• तिलकम्: tilaka/mark (here: a foremost mark/ornament)
• तिलकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्व-धर्माणाम्: of all dharmas
• सर्व-धर्माणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वे धर्माः)

• पञ्च-प्रेतत्व-मुक्ति-दम्: granting release from the state of the five pretas
• पञ्च-प्रेतत्व-मुक्ति-दम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चप्रेतत्वात् मुक्तिं ददाति इति)

Speaker

Varāha (default, not explicitly marked)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

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

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Śravaṇa (hearing) of tīrtha-māhātmya is proclaimed a supreme dharma that yields mokṣa and prevents degraded post-mortem states (preta-conditions).","karmic_consequence":"Hearing/embracing the tīrtha’s prabhāva leads to liberation and release from pañca-preta-bhāva; neglect implies continued vulnerability to preta-like destinies."}

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":"soteriology via śravaṇa","core_concept":"Śravaṇa itself functions as purifying dharma capable of cutting post-mortem bondage and leading toward mokṣa.","practical_application":"Regularly listen to/recite tīrtha-māhātmyas with faith, treating attentive hearing as a primary sādhana alongside conduct."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Culture","Textual Listening (Śravaṇa)"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: śānta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (sacred ford)

Cross References

Related Themes: 174.97.0; 174.98.0

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha as a divine teacher proclaiming the liberating potency of hearing tīrtha-glory; an implied sacred ford in the background, with listeners gathered reverently.","item_prompts":["teaching posture (vyākhyāna-mudrā)","assembly of devotees listening","river-ford/ghāṭa suggestion","tilaka motif (symbolic crown-mark)","subtle preta-shadow dissolving (symbolic)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Varāha as dignified instructor with ornate jewelry, warm earthy palette; devotees seated; stylized riverbank behind; symbolic dark preta-form fading at the edge.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central Varāha-teacher with gold-leaf halo and heavy ornaments; devotees in symmetrical rows; gilded river motif; small emblematic tilaka/crown-mark icon near the verse theme.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined linework, soft shading; Varāha in calm discourse; gentle river ghāṭa; subdued symbolic preta silhouette dissolving into light.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: lyrical hillside-river setting; Varāha teaching under a tree near a ford; attentive listeners; delicate depiction of ‘fear-state’ dispelled by sound."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"reverent, assuring, didactic","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"steady, compassionate, declarative"}

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Dharma Traditions
• Pilgrimage Studies
• Soteriology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates the Purāṇic elevation of ‘hearing’ (śravaṇa) as a mode of religious-literary participation, suggesting a culture where oral transmission and public recitation carried recognized salvific value.

Which geographic location is identified?

No single site is named in the verse itself; it refers generally to a tīrtha’s ‘prabhāva’ (efficacy), within the Sarasvatī-saṅgama context of the surrounding passage.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The text frames attentive listening to dharmic narratives as a valued practice with moral and existential consequences.