Varaha Purana 82.2: Adhyaya 82, Shloka 2

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

Pūrva Bhāga · River Origins (Nadī-avatāra)

Devanagari script

अथ नदीनाmवतारं शृणुत ।

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 82.2

Transliteration

atha nadīnām avatāraṁ śṛṇuta |

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ നദികളുടെ അവതാരം/ഉത്ഭവം ശ്രവിക്കുവിൻ.

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Word by Word

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

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

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

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

Sandhi Notes

• Input shows 'nadīnamavatāraṁ' with a non-standard 'm'
• resolved as nadīnām avatāram (genitive plural + accusative singular)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Cosmological hydrology

Speaker

Rudra

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Cosmology & sacred ecology

Subjects

GeographyCosmologyEcology

Core idea

Rivers are not merely physical waterways but sacred descents (avatāra) with supra-terrestrial origins.

In practice

Cultivate reverence and restraint toward rivers (purity, non-pollution) by viewing them as sacred manifestations with cosmic provenance.

Cross references

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.