Varaha Purana 186.1: Adhyaya 186, Shloka 1

Ritual Procedure for Installing Silver and Gold Images, and the Special Status of Śālagrāma

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच॥ राजतीं प्रतिमां कृत्वा सुरूपां निर्मलां शुचिम् ।। अश्लिष्टां चैव निर्दोषां सर्वतः परिनिष्ठिताम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 186.1

Transliteration

śrī-varāha uvāca || rājatīṁ pratimāṁ kṛtvā surūpāṁ nirmalāṁ śucim || aśliṣṭāṁ caiva nirdoṣāṁ sarvataḥ pariniṣṭhitām ||

Translation

ศรีวราหะตรัสว่า: เมื่อสร้างปฏิมาเงินขึ้น—มีรูปงาม ไร้มลทิน และบริสุทธิ์; ปราศจากตำหนิ ไร้ความบกพร่อง และสำเร็จเรียบร้อยรอบด้าน

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Word by Word

• śrī-varāhaḥ: Śrī Varāha
• śrī-varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rājatīm: silver (made of silver)
• rājatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (pratimām-विशेषण)

• pratimām: an image / idol
• pratimām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — 'having made'

• surūpām: beautiful-formed
• surūpām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (pratimām-विशेषण)

• nirmalām: spotless / pure
• nirmalām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• śucim: clean / pure
• śucim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• aśliṣṭām: unattached / not stuck (free from adhesion)
• aśliṣṭām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + śliṣṭa (कृदन्त; श्लिष् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नञ्-समासार्थः (not clung/attached; unblemished)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic/limiting particle)

• nirdoṣām: faultless
• nirdoṣām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• sarvataḥ: on all sides
• sarvataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'from all sides')

• pariniṣṭhitām: well-set / firmly established
• pariniṣṭhitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari (उपसर्ग) + ni (उपसर्ग) + √sthā (स्था धातु) → niṣṭhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (well-set/firmly established)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Iconography (Pratimā-lakṣaṇa)
• Heritage Conservation (material descriptors)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It offers evidence for Purāṇic-era iconographic standards and the material specification of images, relevant to the history of ritual art and temple practice.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

An ethic of careful craftsmanship and cleanliness: ritual objects should be well-made, pure, and free from defects—principles also aligned with heritage-quality production.