Varaha Purana 196.24: Adhyaya 196, Shloka 24

Description of the City of Dharmarāja

Yama

Devanagari script

रथाङ्गसाह्वैः प्रवरैश्च पद्मैः प्रतप्तजाम्बूनद कर्णिकाभिः ॥ या दृश्यते चैव मनोज्ञरूपा सुवर्णसोपानयुता सुकान्ता

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 196.24

Transliteration

rathāṅgasāhvaiḥ pravaraiś ca padmaiḥ prataptajāmbūnada karṇikābhiḥ | yā dṛśyate caiva manojñarūpā suvarṇasopānayutā sukāntā ||

Translation

ఆమె మనోజ్ఞరూపంగా దర్శనమిస్తుంది—‘రథాంగ’ అనే శ్రేష్ఠ పద్మాలతో, తప్త జాంబూనద స్వర్ణకర్ణికలతో అలంకృతంగా. ఆమె సుకాంతగా, స్వర్ణసోపానాలతో యుక్తంగా ఉంటుంది.

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Word by Word

• rathāṅga-sāhvaiḥ: called ‘rathāṅga’ (cakra-marked)
• rathāṅga-sāhvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rathāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agrees with padmaiḥ; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रथाङ्गं नाम यस्य)

• pravaraiḥ: excellent
• pravaraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka/Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; agrees with padmaiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• padmaiḥ: with lotuses
• padmaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• pratapta-jāmbūnada-karṇikābhiḥ: with pericarps of heated Jāmbūnada-gold
• pratapta-jāmbūnada-karṇikābhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratapta (प्रातिपदिक) + jāmbūnada (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रतप्तेन जाम्बूनदेन कर्णिकाः)

• yā: which (river)
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• dṛśyate: is seen/appears
• dṛśyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; passive/medio-passive sense ‘is seen’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• manojña-rūpā: of pleasing form
• manojña-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manojña (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—कर्मधारयः (मनोज्ञं रूपं यस्याः/या)

• suvarṇa-sopāna-yutā: endowed with golden steps
• suvarṇa-sopāna-yutā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sopāna (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सुवर्णस्य सोपानानि तैः युता)

• su-kāntā: very lovely
• su-kāntā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; su as intensifier

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇa
• Sacred Architecture
• Botanical Imagery

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It combines botanical and architectural motifs (lotuses and steps/ghāṭs), reflecting how sacred rivers are imagined as both natural and built heritage.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse continues the description of Vaivasvatī; it does not specify a modern site but suggests riverbank steps (sopāna) as a key feature.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The portrayal of integrated natural beauty and constructed access implies careful, respectful design around waterways rather than destructive alteration.