Varaha Purana 97.29: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 29

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Pūrva Bhāga · Tīrtha-māhātmya (Kapālamocana Tīrtha)

Devanagari script

द्वादशाब्दैर्गतवतः सीमाचारिगणैस्तथा ॥ बलात्कारेण तद्धस्तात्कपालं पातितं भुवि

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.29

Transliteration

dvādaśābdair gatavataḥ sīmācārigaṇais tathā || balātkāreṇa tad-hastāt kapālaṃ pātitaṃ bhuvi

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Po upływie dwunastu lat, a także za sprawą grup strzegących granicy, siłą czaszka została zrzucona z jego dłoni na ziemię.

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Word by Word

• dvādaśa: twelve
• Type: Adjective
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (numeral adjective), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; 'abda' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)

• abdaiḥ: by/with years
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: abda (प्रातिपदिक)

• gatavataḥ: of (him/it) that had gone; elapsed
• Type: Adjective
• Form: भूतकृत्/कृतान्त-विशेषण; 'गतवत्' (one who has gone) इत्यस्य षष्ठी-एकवचन (genitive singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सामान्य; सम्बन्ध (of him who had gone/elapsed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Root: gam (धातु) + vat (कृत्-प्रत्यय)

• sīmācārigaṇaiḥ: by the groups of boundary-guards/patrols
• Type: Noun
• Form: समासः: सीमायां चारिणः (sīmā-cāri) + गणः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: sīmā + cārin + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)

• tathā: also; and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वयार्थक (also/and so)
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय सूचक)
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)

• balāt: forcibly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न अव्यय (बलात् = by force), तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ (ablatival adverb)
• Role: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)

• kāreṇa: by an act (of doing); by forceful action
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; 'बलात्कारेण' इति साधन/प्रकार
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Root: kāra (प्रातिपदिक)

• tat: that
• Type: Adjective
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; 'hastāt' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (that)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• hastāt: from the hand
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)

• kapālam: skull-bowl; skull
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: kapāla (प्रातिपदिक)

• pātitam: fallen; thrown down
• Type: Adjective
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-भाव, past passive participle) 'पातित' = caused to fall/thrown down; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; 'kapālam' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: pat (धातु)

• bhuvi: on the ground
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• dvādaśābdaiḥ = dvādaśa + abdaiḥ
• sīmācārigaṇaiḥ = sīmā + cāri + gaṇaiḥ (tatpuruṣa)
• balātkāreṇa = balāt + kāreṇa
• taddhastāt = tat + hastāt

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Raudra rasaSetting: Liminal boundary zone (sīmā)

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Karma-niyati and kāla (time)

Subjects

Heritage SitesEthicsSacred Geography

Core idea

Bondage and release unfold through time; when the term ripens, even seemingly external forces become instruments of karmic resolution.

In practice

Endure prescribed disciplines until completion; recognize that obstacles/agents may serve the dharmic unfolding rather than merely oppose it.

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Tīrtha Traditions
• Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava Shared Narratives
• Ancient Ritual Culture

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic narrative motif in which a ritual object (kapāla) marks the culmination of a long vow-period, framing later tīrtha formation as cultural memory of ascetic practice.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit toponym appears in this verse; it functions as a narrative hinge leading to the identification of Kapālamocana Tīrtha in the subsequent verses.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds endurance over a long period and the turning point where a burden (symbolized by the kapāla) is removed, anticipating themes of purification and moral restoration.