Varaha Purana 161.4: Adhyaya 161, Shloka 4

The Efficacy of the Sacred Forests: The Merit of Pilgrimage to Mathurā’s Twelve Groves

Devanagari script

मथुरावासिनो ये च तीर्थानां चोपसेवकाः ॥ वनानां दर्शको वाथ मथुराक्रमकोऽपि वा ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 161.4

Transliteration

mathurāvāsino ye ca tīrthānāṃ copasevakāḥ || vanānāṃ darśako vātha mathurākramako 'pi vā ||

Translation

మథురాలో నివసించువారు, మరియు తీర్థముల సేవ చేయువారు; అలాగే వనములను దర్శించువాడు గాని, మథురాలో అడుగుపెట్టువాడైనా—

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Word by Word

• मथुरावासिनः: residents of Mathurā
• मथुरावासिनः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मथुरायां वासिनः)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तीर्थानाम्: of sacred places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• उपसेवकाः: attendants/servitors
• उपसेवकाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप-सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वनानाम्: of forests/groves
• वनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दर्शकः: a visitor/one who sees
• दर्शकः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्गबोधक-अव्यय (then/and also)

• मथुराक्रमकः: one who circumambulates/does rounds of Mathurā
• मथुराक्रमकः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा-क्रमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मथुरायाः क्रमकः/परिक्रमकः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय/अपवादबोधक-अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-निपात (or)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Ancient Geography
• Ecological Ethics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It records a graded notion of pilgrimage participation—residence, ritual attendance, and even simple contact/seeing—useful for studying early pilgrimage theory.

Which geographic location is identified?

Mathurā and its associated tīrthas/forests in the Braj region.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse broadens access to moral benefit by valuing even minimal engagement with culturally protected landscapes.