Varaha Purana 147.2: Adhyaya 147, Shloka 2
The Sacred Merit of Goniṣkramaṇa
the Tīrtha of the Cows’ Emergence/Release
Uttara Bhāga (probable) · Kṣetra-Māhātmya (Sacred Geography) — Goniṣkrama Tīrtha Narrative
अन्यच्च यत्परं गुह्यं क्षेत्रं परमपावनम् ॥ वक्तुमर्हसि देवेश परं कौतूहलं मम
anyac ca yat-paraṁ guhyaṁ kṣetraṁ paramapāvanam || vaktum arhasi deveśa paraṁ kautūhalaṁ mama
anyachcha yatparaM guhyaM kShetraM paramapAvanam || vaktumarhasi devesha paraM kautUhalaM mama
आणखी हे देवेश, ते दुसरे परम गूढ व परम पावन क्षेत्रही तुम्ही सांगावे; माझे कुतूहल अत्यंत मोठे आहे।
Sandhi Notes
- anyac ca → anyat + ca
- yat-paraṁ interpreted as yat + param
- paramapāvanam → parama-pāvanam (karmadhāraya)
- deveśa is vocative of deveśa (deva+īśa)
Pṛthivī
Curious
What is that other supremely secret and most purifying sacred place (kṣetra), and what makes it so efficacious?
Spiritual progress is propelled by focused curiosity (kautūhala) directed toward the most purifying objects of knowledge and practice.
Ask targeted questions of a trustworthy teacher; prioritize teachings that purify conduct and mind over merely interesting lore.
Bhūdevī petitions Varāha (Devēśa) to reveal a ‘guhya’ supremely purifying kṣetra; the interaction is inquiry-driven instruction.
‘Guhya kṣetra’ suggests the innerization of tīrtha: the most purifying ‘place’ can be both geographic and esoteric (accessible through right knowledge and grace), aligning outer pilgrimage with inner purification.
Purification (pāvanatva) as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi: sacred geography functions as a support for inner transformation, preparing for knowledge and devotion.
Immediate continuation of the Goniṣkramaṇa māhātmya inquiry sequence
FAQs
It exemplifies the Purāṇic dialogic method where a cosmological figure (Earth) solicits knowledge about sacred sites, preserving a catalog of tīrthas and their cultural memory.
No specific location is named in this verse; it functions as a prompt introducing a forthcoming description of a particular kṣetra.
A philosophical instruction toward seeking knowledge of places framed as purifying and culturally significant, emphasizing inquiry and transmission of tradition.
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