Varaha Purana 173.2: Adhyaya 173, Shloka 2

Account of Gokarṇa’s Śuka-Satra, Temple Consecration, and the Resulting Merit

Uttara Bhāga · Gokarṇa–Śuka Narrative (Public Works and Community Participation)

Devanagari script

सम्मान्य पूजयामास यथाविभवशक्तितः ॥ मथुरावासिभिर्लोकैरुद्यानं कारयंस्तदा

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 173.2

Transliteration

sammānya pūjayāmāsa yathā-vibhava-śaktitaḥ || mathurā-vāsibhir lokair udyānaṃ kārayaṃs tadā

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Okazał szacunek i złożył cześć stosownie do swoich możliwości; a w tym czasie, wraz z ludźmi mieszkającymi w Mathurā, kazał założyć ogród.

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Word by Word

• सम्मान्य: having honored
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)
• Role: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Root: सम्-मान् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)

• पूजयामास: worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect) परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; periphrastic perfect
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: पूज् (धातु)

• यथा-विभव-शक्तितः: according to (his) means and ability
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; adverb ‘according to capacity’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विभव (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)

• मथुरा-वासिभिः: by the residents of Mathurā
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (मथुरायां वासिनः) instrumental plural
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• लोकैः: by the people
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; Instrumental plural
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

• उद्यानम्: a garden
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: उद्यान (प्रातिपदिक)

• कारयन्: having (it) made / causing (it) to be made
• Type: Verb
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; present active participle ‘causing to be made’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् + शतृ (कृदन्त)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; adverb of time
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• मथुरावासिभिर्लोकैरुद्यानं → मथुरा-वासिभिः + लोकैः + उद्यानम् (ः/र् संधि)

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Vira rasaSetting: Sacred city (tīrtha-kṣetra)

Speaker

Varāha (narration)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ethics of capacity (yathā-śakti)

Subjects

Heritage SitesGeographyEthicsCivic Culture

Core idea

Dharma is sustainable when aligned with one’s means and when it benefits the wider community.

In practice

Give and host without overextension; support shared sacred spaces—plant trees, maintain gardens, fund water/rest facilities for pilgrims.

Dharma

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Cultural Heritage
• Purāṇic Narrative

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a literary memory of civic beautification (garden/park construction) and collective participation, useful for studying ideals of urban culture in Sanskrit narrative sources.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā is explicitly mentioned; it is commonly identified with modern Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, India.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

One should honour others and undertake beneficial works in proportion to one’s capacity (yathā-vibhava-śaktitaḥ).