Varaha Purana 153.28 — Adhyaya 153, Shloka 28

The Glory of the Mathurā Sacred Landscape: Saṃyamana Tīrtha and the Twelve Sacred Forests

Devanagari script

ततः पौरजनं दृष्ट्वा चतुरङ्गबलान्वितः ॥ ततः कालेन महता सम्प्राप्तो मथुरां पुरीम् ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ paurajanaṃ dṛṣṭvā caturaṅga-balānvitaḥ || tataḥ kālena mahatā samprāpto mathurāṃ purīm ||

Translation

తర్వాత పట్టణ ప్రజలను చూచి, చతురంగ సైన్యంతో కూడి, ఎంతో కాలం గడిచిన తరువాత అతడు మథురా నగరానికి చేరుకున్నాడు.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/from there)

• paura-janam: the townspeople
• paura-janam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paura (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘पौराणां जनम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• caturaṅga-bala-anvitaḥ: endowed with a fourfold army
• caturaṅga-bala-anvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (1) caturaṅga = द्विगु/कर्मधारय (चारि अङ्गानि यस्य) ‘four-limbed’; (2) caturaṅga-bala = तत्पुरुष (‘चतुरङ्गं बलम्’); (3) caturaṅga-bala-anvita = तत्पुरुष (‘चतुरङ्गबलेन अन्वितः’). पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (then)

• kālena: with/by time
• kālena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• mahatā: great/long
• mahatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• samprāptaḥ: arrived
• samprāptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + prāp (प्राप् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (having arrived)

• mathurām: Mathurā
• mathurām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mathurā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘mathurām’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework; speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":true,"specific_site":"Mathurā Purī (city)","parikrama_context":"Implied entry into the Mathurā-maṇḍala narrative that typically grounds later tīrtha-circumambulation and site-seeing.","krishna_connection":"Foreshadows Kṛṣṇa’s janmabhūmi and Vraja-līlā landscape by establishing Mathurā as the destination."}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"Itihāsa-like narrative instruction","core_concept":"Approaching a sacred geography with order, protection, and communal visibility (townspeople; fourfold army) marks a transition from travel to tīrtha encounter.","practical_application":"Undertake pilgrimage with discipline and preparedness; treat entry into a holy region as a deliberate spiritual threshold."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Geography","Historical Culture","Heritage Sites"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Vira

Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred city

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 153.32–34 (Mathurā description; tīrthas; Madhuvana; Ekādaśī bath)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A leader/heroic figure traveling with caturaṅga-bala (infantry, cavalry, chariots, elephants), greeted/observed by townspeople, approaching Mathurā’s gates after long travel.","item_prompts":["city gates of Mathurā","crowds of townspeople","fourfold army elements (elephant, chariot, horse, foot soldiers)","dusty road indicating long journey"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: processional composition with stylized elephants and chariots, Mathurā gate architecture, rhythmic crowd patterns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: grand procession with gold highlights on armor and ornaments, Mathurā as a radiant city backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined courtly procession, detailed textiles, balanced composition leading toward city entrance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: narrative travel scene with rolling landscape, compact figures, emphasis on journey and arrival at a walled city."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative, forward-moving","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, storytelling"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Ancient Military Terminology
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves conventional epic-Purāṇic travel narration and uses classical military terminology (caturaṅga-bala), offering cultural data about idealized royal movement.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā—modern Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), frequently represented as a significant cultural-religious landscape in Sanskrit sources.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse is primarily narrative rather than prescriptive; it situates the protagonists within an ordered social and political setting during travel.