Varaha Purana 169.2: Adhyaya 169, Shloka 2

The Greatness of Mathurā: The Ardhacandra Sacred Bathing Rite and the Procedure for the Yajñopavīta Observance

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामेव तीर्थानां मथुरा च परं महत् ॥ कृष्णेन क्रीडितं तत्र तच्छुद्धं हि पदे पदे ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 169.2

Transliteration

sarveṣām eva tīrthānāṃ mathurā ca paraṃ mahat || kṛṣṇena krīḍitaṃ tatra tacchuddhaṃ hi pade pade ||

Translation

सर्वतीर्थेषु मथुरा परं महती; तत्र कृष्णेन क्रीडितत्वात् सा पदे पदे शुद्धा इति प्रसिद्धा।

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Word by Word

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• tīrthānām: of pilgrimage places
• tīrthānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• mathurā: Mathurā
• mathurā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mathurā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and/also
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) of mahat

• mahat: great
• mahat: Pradhana-visheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• kṛṣṇena: by Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• krīḍitam: played/sported (there)
• krīḍitam: Kriyā-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle, PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि भावः (played/sported)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• tat: that (place/thing)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• śuddham: pure
• śuddham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of tat

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• pade: at (each) step/place
• pade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• pade: at every step
• pade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for distributive sense)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Heritage Sites

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It links a physical landscape to narrative memory (Kṛṣṇa-līlā), illustrating how Purāṇic texts encode sanctity through story and thereby shape pilgrimage identity.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā, associated with the Yamunā corridor and the broader Braj region in North India.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse promotes a discipline of respectful movement through a culturally valued landscape, implying careful conduct within heritage zones.