Varaha Purana 213.83: Adhyaya 213, Shloka 83

The Glory of Gokarṇeśvara: Nandin’s Austerities and Śiva’s Boons

Devanagari script

क्रीडद्भिर्देवमिथुनैर्नृत्यद्भिश्चाप्सरोगणैः ॥ कूजद्भिः शिखिभिर्मत्तैः सेविते च नगोत्तमे ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 213.83

Transliteration

krīḍadbhir devamithunair nṛtyadbhiś cāpsarogaṇaiḥ || kūjadbhiḥ śikhibhir mattaiḥ sevite ca nagottame ||

Translation

ณ ภูเขาอันประเสริฐนั้น มีคู่เทพเจ้ากำลังเริงเล่น หมู่อัปสรฟ้อนรำ และฝูงนกยูงที่เมามันส่งเสียงกู่ร้อง ต่างพากันมารับใช้และรายล้อมอยู่

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Word by Word

• krīḍadbhiḥ: by/with (those) playing
• krīḍadbhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √krīḍ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present active participle (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine/Neuter Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• deva-mithunaiḥ: by divine couples
• deva-mithunaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + mithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘deva-mithuna’ = ‘divine couples’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• nṛtyadbhiḥ: by/with (those) dancing
• nṛtyadbhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nṛt (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present active participle (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine/Neuter Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• apsarogaṇaiḥ: by groups of apsarases
• apsarogaṇaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘apsaras-gaṇa’ = ‘groups of Apsarases’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• kūjadbhiḥ: by/with (those) cooing/warbling
• kūjadbhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kūj (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present active participle (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine/Neuter Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• śikhibhiḥ: by peacocks
• śikhibhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrumental—accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• mattaiḥ: intoxicated; frenzied
• mattaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies ‘śikhibhiḥ’

• sevite: in (a place) frequented/served
• sevite: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); used as locative absolute/description ‘in/at (a place) frequented’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• naga-uttame: on the best mountain
• naga-uttame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naga (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘naga-uttama’ = ‘best of mountains’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework: instructor/narrator)

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Geography
• Nature Imagery
• Pilgrimage Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

Such landscape catalogues preserve how sacred sites were imaginatively mapped—through flora, fauna, and celestial attendants—within the Purāṇic literary tradition.

Which geographic location is identified?

A “best mountain” (nagottama) is referenced without a specific toponym in this verse; the broader section associates the setting with the Gokarṇa sacred complex.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Indirectly, the verse frames the site as worthy of careful approach and preservation by portraying it as a richly inhabited and celebrated natural-cultural environment.