Varaha Purana 145.39: Adhyaya 145, Shloka 39

The Greatness of the Śālagrāma Sacred Region

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha-Māhātmya (Śālagrāma-kṣetra / sacred geography)

Devanagari script

तदेतद्विद्धि वसुधे समन्ताद्योजनत्रयम् ॥ तत्र स्नानं तु कुर्वीत त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 145.39

Transliteration

tadetadviddhi vasudhe samantādyojanatrayam || tatra snānaṃ tu kurvīta trirātropoṣito naraḥ ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ఓ వసుధా, ఇది తెలుసుకో—ఇది అన్ని దిశలలో మూడు యోజనాల వరకు విస్తరించింది. మూడు రాత్రులు ఉపవాసముండి మనిషి అక్కడ స్నానం చేయాలి.

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Word by Word

• तत्: that
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्म (of viddhi)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• एतत्: this
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्म (appositional with तत्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• विद्धि: know
• Type: Verb
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: विद् (धातु)

• वसुधे: O Earth (goddess)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन; सम्बोधन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; परितः/सर्वतः-अर्थक (adverb ‘on all sides’)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)

• योजनत्रयम्: three yojanas (in extent)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—त्रीणि योजनानि (measure: three yojanas)
• Role: Karma/Measure (परिमाण)
• Root: योजन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)

• तु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; निपात
• Role: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Root: तु (अव्यय)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• Type: Verb
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Root: कृ (धातु)

• त्रिरात्रोपोषितः: having fasted for three nights
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) उपोषित ‘having fasted’; समासः—त्रिरात्रम् उपोषितः (accusative-tatpurusha)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Root: त्रिरात्र + उपोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• नरः: a man
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तदेतद्विद्धि = तत् + एतत् + विद्धि
• समन्ताद्योजनत्रयम् = समन्तात् + योजनत्रयम्
• त्रिरात्रोपोषितः = त्रिरात्र + उपोषितः

Speaker and setting

Shanta and Adbhuta rasaSetting: Regional sacred zone/mandala

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious, receptive

What she asks

What are the boundaries of this kṣetra, and what preparatory discipline qualifies one for its bath?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Sādhana-dharma (preparatory discipline)

Subjects

Sacred GeographyRitual Discipline (fasting)Traditional Measures

Core idea

Sacred benefit arises from the union of place (kṣetra) and personal discipline (tapas/upoṣa).

In practice

Before tīrtha-snāna, undertake a defined fast, restrain senses, maintain purity, and then perform the bath with mantra and devotion.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha defines the kṣetra’s spatial extent to Bhū-devī and prescribes a discipline (three-night fast) culminating in ritual bathing there.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Vrata

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Pilgrimage Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It combines cartographic quantification (yojana) with ritual regimen (trirātra fast), illustrating how Purāṇic texts structure both space and practice.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse defines the spatial extent of the kṣetra as three yojanas in all directions, functioning as a boundary description.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Self-restraint through fasting is presented as preparatory discipline for engaging a sacred site.