Varaha Purana 97.21: Adhyaya 97, Shloka 21

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Pūrva Bhāga · Tīrtha-māhātmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Narratives)

Devanagari script

पुनरब्दद्वयं भ्रान्तो ब्रह्माण्डं तीर्थकारणात्॥ तीर्थेतीर्थे हरः स्नात्वा कपालं त्यक्तुमिच्छति॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 97.21

Transliteration

punar abda-dvayaṃ bhrānto brahmāṇḍaṃ tīrtha-kāraṇāt || tīrthe tīrthe haraḥ snātvā kapālaṃ tyaktum icchati ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

తీర్థాల కారణంగా మళ్లీ రెండు సంవత్సరాలు అతడు బ్రహ్మాండమంతటా సంచరించాడు. హరుడు (శివుడు) ప్రతి తీర్థంలో స్నానం చేసి కపాలాన్ని విడిచిపెట్టాలని కోరాడు.

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Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)

• अब्दद्वयम्: two years
• Type: Noun
• Form: द्विगु-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणम्
• Role: कर्म/कालाधिकरण (Extent of time)
• Root: अब्द + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)

• भ्रान्तः: having wandered
• Type: Adjective
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), √भ्रम्, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; हरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Root: भ्रान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भ्रम् धातु)

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the universe (cosmic egg)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)

• तीर्थकारणात्: because of the sacred-place reason / for the sake of tīrthas
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ṣaṣṭhī/सम्बन्ध: ‘cause/reason of tīrtha’ or ‘for the sake of tīrtha’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन
• Role: हेतु/अपादान (Hetu/Reason; Ablative)
• Root: तीर्थ + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)

• तीर्थे: at a tīrtha
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)

• तीर्थे: at (each) tīrtha
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—‘from tīrtha to tīrtha’
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), √स्ना, अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable verbal)
• Role: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Root: √स्ना (स्ना धातु)

• कपालम्: skull
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्यक्तुम्: to abandon
• Type: Verb
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), √त्यज्; इच्छति इत्यस्य कर्म-प्रवचनम् (complement of ‘wants’)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Infinitival object)
• Root: √त्यज् (त्यज् धातु)

• इच्छति: wishes
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Root: √इष् (इष् धातु)

Sandhi Notes

• abda-dvayaṃ (समास)
• tīrtha-kāraṇāt (समास)
• tīrthe tīrthe (पुनरुक्ति)
• tyaktum icchati (पद-क्रम)

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Karuna rasaSetting: Cosmological sacred geography

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious, contemplative

What she asks

What is the scope of tīrtha-power across the cosmos, and why does ritual bathing still fail to remove certain burdens?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Ritual theory / sacred geography

Subjects

CosmologySacred GeographyPilgrimageRitual Bathing

Core idea

Sacred acts have differentiated results; efficacy depends on the correct conjunction of place, act, and destiny (kṣetra-kriyā-niyati).

In practice

Approach tīrtha-snāna with discernment and proper intent; seek the tradition’s specified kṣetra for particular expiations.

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Varāha continues instructive narration to Bhū-devī.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• Ancient Geography
• Pilgrimage Studies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It combines cosmological language (brahmāṇḍa) with pilgrimage practice, illustrating how Purāṇas fuse spatial imagination with ritual itineraries.

Which geographic location is identified?

No single site is named here; the verse frames pilgrimage as spanning the 'brahmāṇḍa' (the inhabited world/cosmos).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

It presents disciplined practice (repeated bathing and travel) as a response to affliction, valuing sustained effort over immediate results.