Varaha Purana 175.14: Adhyaya 175, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

कन्याऽस्थीनि तु सङ्गृह्य मथुरामाजगाम ह॥ श्रुत्वा पुराणे पतितमर्धचन्द्रेऽस्थिपातनम्॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 175.14

Transliteration

kanyā'sthīni tu saṅgṛhya mathurām ājagāma ha || śrutvā purāṇe patitam ardhacandre 'sthipātanam

Translation

கன்னியின் எலும்புகளைச் சேகரித்து அவன் மதுராவுக்கு வந்தான். புராணத்தில் அர்த்தசந்திரத் தீர்த்தத்தில் அஸ்தி-நிக்ஷேபம் செய்வதைக் கேட்டிருந்தான்.

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Word by Word

• kanyā-asthīni: the girl’s bones
• kanyā-asthīni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + asthi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कन्यायाः अस्थीनि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); object of saṅgṛhya

• tu: but/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• saṅgṛhya: having gathered
• saṅgṛhya: Kriyā (क्रिया—पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√grah (ग्रह्) धातु; saṅgṛhya (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having collected’

• mathurām: to Mathurā
• mathurām: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mathurā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; destination as object with motion verb

• ājagāma: came
• ājagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (गम्) धातु
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect: ‘came’

• ha: indeed (narrative)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मृत्यर्थक/कथानक-निपात (narrative particle)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyā (क्रिया—पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु) धातु; śrutvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’

• purāṇe: in the Purāṇa
• purāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative: ‘in the Purāṇa/ancient account’

• patitam: fallen
• patitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pat (पत्) धातु; patita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies asthipātanam

• ardhacandre: on the half-moon (place/mark)
• ardhacandre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—अर्धः चन्द्रः = ‘half-moon’; locative ‘on/at the half-moon (mark)’

• asthi-pātanam: the casting/throwing of bones
• asthi-pātanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asthi (प्रातिपदिक) + pātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अस्थीनां पातनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); object of śrutvā (heard about)

Speaker

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

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ancient Geography
• Funerary/Rite Motifs

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It illustrates how Purāṇic texts authorize and circulate pilgrimage-related funerary practices by citing earlier scriptural precedent ('heard in a Purāṇa').

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā is explicit; Ardhacandra is named as a tīrtha or ritual locus, requiring broader textual comparison to identify its exact site.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The narrative frames care for the deceased and adherence to culturally sanctioned rites as a form of duty and remembrance.