Varaha Purana 151.8: Adhyaya 151, Shloka 8

The Sacred Greatness of Lohārgala

The ‘Iron-Bolt’ Tīrtha

Devanagari script

तत्र लोहर्गले क्षेत्रे निवासो विहितः शुभः ॥ गुह्यं पञ्चदशायामं समन्तात्पञ्चयोजनम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 151.8

Transliteration

tatra lohargale kṣetre nivāso vihitaḥ śubhaḥ | guhyaṁ pañcadaśāyāmaṁ samantāt pañca-yojanam ||

Translation

అక్కడ ‘లోహర్గల’ అనే క్షేత్రములో శుభమైన నివాసస్థానం ఏర్పాటైంది. ఆ స్థలం ‘గూఢం’ అని చెప్పబడింది—పదిహేను (యోజన) పొడవు, చుట్టూ ఐదు యోజనల విస్తీర్ణం.

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Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• lohargale: at Lohargala
• lohargale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lohargala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (स्थाननाम), सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• kṣetre: in the sacred field/region
• kṣetre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• nivāsaḥ: dwelling, residence
• nivāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• vihitaḥ: has been prescribed/appointed
• vihitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन; ‘appointed/ordained’

• śubhaḥ: auspicious
• śubhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन; विशेषण (nivāsaḥ)

• guhyam: secret, hidden
• guhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षेत्रं/स्थानं implied)

• pañcadaśa-āyāmam: measuring fifteen āyāmas
• pañcadaśa-āyāmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcadaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + āyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (measure: ‘fifteen āyāmas in extent’)

• samantāt: on all sides, all around
• samantāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-निबद्ध (from all sides/around)

• pañca-yojanam: (extending) five yojanas
• pañca-yojanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (measure: ‘five yojanas’)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Ancient Geography
• Cultural Heritage
• Purāṇic Kṣetra-Māhātmya
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It offers a formal kṣetra-profile (name, auspicious status, dimensions), a common archival unit in māhātmya literature that can be compared across Purāṇic pilgrimage corpora.

Which geographic location is identified?

Lohārgala-kṣetra is named. In modern scholarship, “Lohārgala/Lohargal” is often associated with a pilgrimage locality in Rajasthan (Alwar region), though identifications may vary by tradition and text.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames certain places as protected or ‘guhya’ (restricted), implying responsible approach to sacred landscapes and their boundaries.