Varaha Purana 175.17: Adhyaya 175, Shloka 17

The Sanctity of the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā Pilgrimage-Ford and the Account of the Brahmin Vasu’s Daughter

Devanagari script

सुरूपा सुकुमाराङ्गी नीलकुञ्चितमूर्द्धजा॥ कदलीकाण्डसङ्काशे तस्या ऊरू सुमांसले॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 175.17

Transliteration

surūpā sukumārāṅgī nīlakuñcitamūrddhajā || kadalīkāṇḍasaṅkāśe tasyā ūrū sumāṃsale

Translation

सा सुरूपा सुकुमाराङ्गी नीलकुञ्चितमूर्द्धजा। कदलीकाण्डसङ्काशौ तस्या ऊरू सुमांसलौ॥

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Word by Word

• su-rūpā: beautiful
• su-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सुन्दरं रूपं यस्याः/या; adjective

• su-kumāra-aṅgī: having very delicate limbs
• su-kumāra-aṅgī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सुकुमाराणि अङ्गानि यस्याः; adjective

• nīla-kuñcita-mūrdhajā: with dark, curly hair
• nīla-kuñcita-mūrdhajā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + kuñcita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—नीलाः कुञ्चिताः मूर्धजाः यस्याः; adjective

• kadalī-kāṇḍa-saṅkāśe: like banana-stalks
• kadalī-kāṇḍa-saṅkāśe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kadalī (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, द्विवचन; समासः—कदलीकाण्डवत् सङ्काशः (उपमान-तत्पुरुष); सप्तमी-द्विवचन, विशेषणं (ऊरू)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive: ‘of her’

• ūrū: (her) two thighs
• ūrū: Karta (कर्ता/वर्ण्य-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; here nominative dual as described body-part

• su-māṃsale: very well-fleshed
• su-māṃsale: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + māṃsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, द्विवचन; adjective agreeing with ūrū (dual): ‘very fleshy/well-rounded’

Speaker

Varāha (default narrative voice) to Pṛthivī (inquirer framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Sanskrit Poetics (Varṇana)
• Cultural Anthropology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It exemplifies a common Sanskrit narrative device (varṇana) using culturally legible similes (e.g., plantain stalk) to convey ideals of form and vitality in classical literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it is a descriptive passage within the ongoing narrative.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

No direct ethical instruction is stated; the verse functions as literary characterization that supports subsequent narrative developments.