Varaha Purana 137.22 — Adhyaya 137, Shloka 22

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

धरोवाच ॥ केषु लोकेषु यान्तीश सौकरे ये मृताः प्रभो ॥ किं वा पुण्यं भवेत् तत्र स्नातस्य पिबतस्तथा ॥

Transliteration

dharovāca || keṣu lokeṣu yāntīśa saukare ye mṛtāḥ prabho || kiṃ vā puṇyaṃ bhavet tatra snātasya pibatas tathā ||

Translation

Bumi berkata: “Wahai Tuhan, ke alam manakah mereka yang wafat di Saukara akan pergi, wahai Prabhu? Dan apakah pahala suci yang terhasil di sana bagi orang yang mandi, dan juga bagi orang yang meminum airnya?”

Word by Word

• dharaḥ: the Earth

• uvāca: said

• keṣu: in which

• lokeṣu: worlds

• yānti: go

• īśa: O Lord

• saukare: in Saukara (place/field)

• ye: those who

• mṛtāḥ: deceased

• prabho: O master

• kim: what

• vā: or/and

• puṇyam: merit

• bhavet: would arise

• tatra: there

• snātasya: of one who has bathed

• pibataḥ: of one who drinks

• tathā: likewise

Speaker

Pṛthivī (Dharā)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Earth directly questions the Lord about Saukara/Saukarava’s afterlife outcomes and tīrtha-merit; Varāha is positioned as authoritative teacher of tīrtha-phala."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","bhu_devi_state":"curious, seeking assurance about beings’ destinies and ritual efficacy","key_question":"What is the post-mortem destination of those who die at Saukara, and what specific puṇya accrues from bathing and drinking its waters?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"Saukara/Saukarava tīrtha (waters for snāna and pāna)","parikrama_context":"Not explicit; tīrtha-use (snāna/pāna) is foregrounded rather than circumambulation.","krishna_connection":"None explicit."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"Tīrtha-dharma inquiry: the verse frames rules of merit regarding death in a kṣetra and ritual acts (bathing/drinking) at a sacred site; specifics are expected in Varāha’s reply.","karmic_consequence":"Implied: proper snāna/pāna at the tīrtha yields puṇya; dying there yields a superior gati—details to be defined by the ensuing teaching."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma-gati and tīrtha-tattva (framing question)","core_concept":"Actions and place interact in Purāṇic soteriology: certain kṣetras amplify merit and shape post-mortem trajectories.","practical_application":"Approach tīrthas with intentionality—snāna and pāna as disciplined rites—while reflecting on life’s end (maraṇa-smṛti) and ethical living."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Sacred Geography","Afterlife Cosmology","Ritual Merit","Heritage Sites"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: jijñāsā (within śānta)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha/kṣetra with sacred waters

Cross References

Related Themes: Saukarava-māhātmya answers expected immediately after this question

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Personified Earth (Dhārā) addresses Varāha with folded hands, asking about the fate of those who die at Saukara and the merit of bathing/drinking its waters; the sacred waterbody is implied nearby.","item_prompts":["Bhū-devī in supplication (añjali)","Varāha seated/standing as teacher","sacred pond/river with steps (ghāṭa)","pilgrims bathing","water vessel for drinking"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Bhū-devī with green-gold complexion tones, Varāha as dignified guru, stylized ghāṭa and water with lotus, attendants in the background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: iconic teacher-disciple composition, gold-leaf halos, a small waterbody motif at the base with silver-blue enamel effect.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: serene dialogue, detailed ghāṭa architecture, soft ripples in water, subtle devotional mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: riverside scene with steps, small bathing figures, Bhū-devī and Varāha in the foreground under a tree, crisp narrative detailing."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"inquiring, devotional","suggested_raga":"Puriya Dhanashri or Bhairavi (serious inquiry)","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"respectful, questioning"}

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Tīrtha-Māhātmya
• Ancient Pilgrimage Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects the Purāṇic genre of tīrtha-māhātmya, where sacred places are mapped through questions about merit (puṇya) and post-mortem destiny (loka).

Which geographic location is identified?

“Saukara/Saukarava” is presented as a named kṣetra; the fragment itself does not provide a modern identification, but it functions as a pilgrimage locale within the text’s sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames ethical and ritual inquiry: actions such as bathing and drinking at designated sites are evaluated through their claimed cultural-ritual merit, emphasizing intentional conduct and disciplined practice.