Varaha Purana 161.3: Adhyaya 161, Shloka 3

The Efficacy of the Sacred Forests: The Merit of Pilgrimage to Mathurā’s Twelve Groves

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ सर्वधर्मविहीनानां पुरुषाणां दुरात्मनाम् ॥ नरकार्त्तिहरादेवी मथुरा पापघातिनी ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 161.3

Transliteration

śrīvarāha uvāca || sarvadharmavihīnānāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ durātmanām || narakārttiharā devī mathurā pāpaghātinī ||

Translation

Śrī Varāha bersabda: Bagi lelaki yang kehilangan segala dharma dan berhati jahat, Dewi Mathurā menghapus penderitaan neraka serta memusnahkan dosa.

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Word by Word

• श्रीवराहः: Lord Varāha
• श्रीवराहः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रीश्चासौ वराहः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वधर्मविहीनानाम्: of those devoid of all dharma
• सर्वधर्मविहीनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-धर्म-विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वे धर्माः यस्मात् विहीनाः)

• पुरुषाणाम्: of men/persons
• पुरुषाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दुरात्मनाम्: of evil-souled (ones)
• दुरात्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुरः आत्मा येषाम्)

• नरकार्त्तिहरā: remover of the suffering of hell
• नरकार्त्तिहरā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नरक-आर्ति-हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नरकस्य आर्तिं हरति इति)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मथुरा: Mathurā
• मथुरा: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापघातिनी: destroyer of sins
• पापघातिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप-घातिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापं घातयति/हन्ति इति)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ancient Geography
• Pilgrimage Culture

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies Purāṇic sacred-geography discourse, presenting Mathurā as a culturally valorized site whose visit is framed as ethically transformative.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā—classically the Yamunā-region city in North India, continuously identified with modern Mathura (Uttar Pradesh).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Even those described as morally deficient are encouraged toward reform through association with a heritage landscape portrayed as purifying.