Varaha Purana 137.22: Adhyaya 137, Shloka 22

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

धरोवाच ॥ केषु लोकेषु यान्तीश सौकरे ये मृताः प्रभो ॥ किं वा पुण्यं भवेत् तत्र स्नातस्य पिबतस्तथा ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 137.22

Transliteration

dharovāca || keṣu lokeṣu yāntīśa saukare ye mṛtāḥ prabho || kiṃ vā puṇyaṃ bhavet tatra snātasya pibatas tathā ||

Translation

พระปฤถวีตรัสว่า: “ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ผู้ที่สิ้นชีวิต ณ สาวการะย่อมไปสู่โลกใดบ้าง? และบุญกุศลอันใดบังเกิดที่นั่นแก่ผู้สรงน้ำ และแก่ผู้ดื่มน้ำแห่งสถานนั้นด้วย?”

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Word by Word

• dharaḥ: the Earth

• uvāca: said

• keṣu: in which

• lokeṣu: worlds

• yānti: go

• īśa: O Lord

• saukare: in Saukara (place/field)

• ye: those who

• mṛtāḥ: deceased

• prabho: O master

• kim: what

• vā: or/and

• puṇyam: merit

• bhavet: would arise

• tatra: there

• snātasya: of one who has bathed

• pibataḥ: of one who drinks

• tathā: likewise

Speaker

Pṛthivī (Dharā)

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Tīrtha-Māhātmya
• Ancient Pilgrimage Geography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects the Purāṇic genre of tīrtha-māhātmya, where sacred places are mapped through questions about merit (puṇya) and post-mortem destiny (loka).

Which geographic location is identified?

“Saukara/Saukarava” is presented as a named kṣetra; the fragment itself does not provide a modern identification, but it functions as a pilgrimage locale within the text’s sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse frames ethical and ritual inquiry: actions such as bathing and drinking at designated sites are evaluated through their claimed cultural-ritual merit, emphasizing intentional conduct and disciplined practice.