Varaha Purana 162.3: Adhyaya 162, Shloka 3

The Efficacy and Merit of Cakra-tīrtha

Devanagari script

स कन्यां पुत्रम् आदाय ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः ॥ शालिग्रामं महापुण्यम् अगच्छद् ब्राह्मणोत्तमः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 162.3

Transliteration

sa kanyāṃ putram ādāya brāhmaṇo vedapāragaḥ || śālagrāmaṃ mahāpuṇyam agacchad brāhmaṇottamaḥ

Translation

स ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः कन्यां पुत्रं च आदाय महापुण्यं शालिग्रामं प्रति जगाम; स ब्राह्मणोत्तमः।

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kanyām: a daughter / girl
• kanyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• putram: a son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken’ (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: the Brahmin
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• veda-pāragaḥ: versed in the Vedas
• veda-pāragaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + pāraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (vedān pāragataḥ)

• śālagrāmam: to Śālagrāma
• śālagrāmam: Karma (कर्म) / Gati-karman (गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālagrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (śālā + grāma) as place-name

• mahā-puṇyam: very holy
• mahā-puṇyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with śālagrāmam; कर्मधारयः (mahac ca tat puṇyam)

• agacchat: went
• agacchat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• brāhmaṇa-uttamaḥ: the best of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇa-uttamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to brāhmaṇaḥ/saḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (uttamo brāhmaṇaḥ)

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative voice)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Pilgrimage Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It situates Śālagrāma as a major tīrtha within Purāṇic pilgrimage networks and shows family-accompanied travel as a narrative motif.

Which geographic location is identified?

Śālagrāma is named as the destination; in wider Sanskrit literature it is commonly associated with the Gandakī region, though this fragment alone does not specify.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, it valorizes learning (Vedic mastery) and purposeful travel to culturally significant sites.