Varaha Purana 91.1: Adhyaya 91, Shloka 1

The Vaiṣṇavī Goddess on Mount Mandara: Emergence of the Maidens, Construction of the Goddess-City, and Nārada’s Visit

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच । या मन्दरगता देवी तपस्तप्तुं तु वैष्णवी । राजसी परमा शक्तिः कौमारव्रतधारिणी ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 91.1

Transliteration

śrīvarāha uvāca | yā mandaragatā devī tapas taptuṃ tu vaiṣṇavī | rājasī paramā śaktiḥ kaumāravratadhāriṇī ||

Translation

Śrī Varāha disse: A Deusa que foi a Mandara—Vaiṣṇavī—empreendeu austeridades; ela é o poder supremo, de natureza rajásica, e observante do voto de donzela (kaumāra-vrata).

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Word by Word

• śrī-varāhaḥ: Śrī-Varāha
• śrī-varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya honorific epithet

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• yā: who (she)
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mandara-gatā: situated on Mandara (mountain)
• mandara-gatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (√gam + kta)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘mandare gatā’ (gone to/located in Mandara); qualifies devī

• devī: goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• taptum: to practice (austerity)
• taptum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Kṛdanta: tumunanta infinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to perform/undergo’; expresses purpose

• tu: indeed / but
• tu: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta (निपात) / emphasis-contrast particle

• vaiṣṇavī: Vaiṣṇavī (of Viṣṇu)
• vaiṣṇavī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of devī

• rājasī: rajas-dominant
• rājasī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; guṇa-vācaka adjective

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: power
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kaumāra-vrata-dhāriṇī: bearer of the vow of maidenhood
• kaumāra-vrata-dhāriṇī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāriṇī (√dhṛ + ṇinī)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘kaumāra-vrataṃ dhārayati’ (one who holds the vow of maidenhood); qualifies devī/śaktiḥ

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Sacred Geography
• Ascetic Practice

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It links ascetic practice (tapas) with sacred geography (Mandara), illustrating how Purāṇic texts map spiritual narratives onto culturally significant landscapes.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mandara (Mandara mountain), a prominent sacred-geographic motif in Purāṇic literature, often associated with major mythic events.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It foregrounds disciplined practice (vrata and tapas) as a means of cultivating power and purpose, presented descriptively within the narrative.