Varaha Purana 181.4: Adhyaya 181, Shloka 4

Ritual Procedure for Installing and Consecrating a Madhūka-Wood Icon

Devanagari script

मम प्रीत्यर्थमखिलं तद्विष्णो वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ कथं तिष्ठसि काष्ठेषु शैलमृन्मयजेषु च ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 181.4

Transliteration

mama prītyartham akhilaṃ tad viṣṇo vaktum arhasi || kathaṃ tiṣṭhasi kāṣṭheṣu śaila-mṛnmayajeṣu ca

Translation

నా ప్రీతికోసం, ఓ విష్ణూ, ఆ సమస్తమును చెప్పవలసినది. నీవు కాష్ఠములలోను, శిలా-మృత్తికాది పార్థివ పదార్థములతో చేసిన విగ్రహములలోను ఎలా నివసించుచున్నావు?

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Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of me/my)

• प्रीति-अर्थम्: for (my) satisfaction/pleasure
• प्रीति-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (for the sake of)

• अखिलम्: entire/all
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म; विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (तत्-विशेषण)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (वक्तव्य-विषय)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to tell/speak
• वक्तुम्: Karma (कर्म; infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (to speak)

• अर्हसि: you should/are worthy to
• अर्हसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb: how)

• तिष्ठसि: do you abide/stand
• तिष्ठसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• काष्ठेषु: in wood(en forms)
• काष्ठेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; अधिकरण

• शैल-मृन्मयजेषु: in stone and earthen (images)
• शैल-मृन्मयजेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल + मृन्मयज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; अधिकरण; द्वन्द्वः (stone and earthen-made ones)

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

Speaker

Pṛthivī (inquirer; implied)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Iconology
• Material Religion

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It is a concise Purāṇic articulation of material theology and icon practice, relevant to the history of temple worship and the legitimization of multiple image-media (wood, stone, clay).

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is named; the verse concerns the ontology of worship images rather than a specific kṣetra.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It models inquiry as a disciplined approach to practice: understanding the rationale behind material forms supports responsible stewardship of cultural and ritual heritage.