Varaha Purana 197.2: Adhyaya 197, Shloka 2

The Division of the Gates of Yama’s City and the Description of the Tribunal Hall

Devanagari script

समालिखदिवाकाशं प्रदीप्तमिव तेजसा ॥ गोपुरं तूत्तमं तत्र प्रासादशतशोभितम् ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 197.2

Transliteration

samālikha-divākāśaṃ pradīptam iva tejasā || gopuraṃ tūttamaṃ tatra prāsāda-śata-śobhitam ||

Translation

ते दिवसा जणू आकाशावर रेषा काढीत असल्याप्रमाणे दिसे, तेजाने जणू प्रज्वलित; तेथे उत्तम गोपुर होते, शंभर प्रासादांनी शोभित.

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Word by Word

• समालिख-दिवाकाशम्: as if sketched in the bright sky
• समालिख-दिवाकाशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-लिख् (धातु) + दिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘(as if) drawn/outlined in the sky by day’ (समालिखितं दिवाकाशे इति भावः)

• प्रदीप्तम्: blazing
• प्रदीप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दीप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• तेजसा: with radiance/splendor
• तेजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• गोपुरम्: gateway-tower
• गोपुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed)

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; agreeing with ‘गोपुरम्’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• प्रासाद-शत-शोभितम्: adorned with hundreds of palaces
• प्रासाद-शत-शोभितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + शोभित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रासादशतेन शोभितम्), agreeing with ‘गोपुरम्’

Speaker

Ṛṣiputra (continuation; explicit in 197.1)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Temple Architecture
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates how Purāṇic texts use luminous imagery (tejas, pradīpta) to aestheticize monumental gateways, offering evidence for the literary imagination of temple urbanism.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific location is named; the verse provides a visual description of a gateway within a complex.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse primarily functions descriptively; ethically, it supports the cultural value placed on maintaining impressive, orderly sacred built environments.