Varaha Purana 84.4: Adhyaya 84, Shloka 4

Description of the Northern Regions: Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya, Uttarakuru, Candradvīpa, Sūryadvīpa, and Rudrākara

Pūrva Bhāga · Cosmography and Sacred Geography (Directional Varṣas and Rivers)

Devanagari script

उत्तरेण च श्वेतस्य त्रिशृङ्गस्य च दक्षिणे । वर्षं हिरण्मयं नाम तत्र हैरण्वती नदी । यक्षाः वसन्ति तत्रैव बलिनः कामरूपिणः ॥ ८४.४ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 84.4

Transliteration

uttareṇa ca śvetasya triśṛṅgasya ca dakṣiṇe | varṣaṃ hiraṇmayaṃ nāma tatra hairaṇvatī nadī | yakṣā vasanti tatraiva balinaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ || 84.4 ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

ทางเหนือของศเวตะและทางใต้ของตรีศฤงคะ มีแคว้นชื่อว่า ‘หิรัณมยะ’ ที่นั่นมีแม่น้ำไหรัณวตีไหลผ่าน และที่นั่นเองเหล่ายักษะพำนัก—ทรงพลังและแปลงกายได้ตามปรารถนา.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• उत्तरेण: to the north (of)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd; adverbial), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense via instrumental)
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• श्वेतस्य: of Śveta
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्रिशृङ्गस्य: of Triśṛṅga
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि शृङ्गाणि यस्य = Triśṛṅga, 'three-peaked')
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• दक्षिणे: in the south (of)
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)

• वर्षम्: region/varṣa
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• हिरण्मयम्: golden
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of 'varṣam')
• Root: हिरण्मय (प्रातिपदिक)

• नाम: named
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशे (naming marker)
• Role: Visheshana-bhava (विशेषणभाव/Naming marker)
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: देश-अव्यय (there)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• हैरण्वती: Hairaṇvatī (river name)
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositive with 'nadī')
• Root: हैरण्वती (प्रातिपदिक)

• नदी: river
• Type: Noun
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)

• यक्षाः: Yakṣas
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• वसन्ति: dwell; live
• Type: Verb
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Root: वस् (धातु)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: देश-अव्यय (there)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed; only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणे (particle: indeed/only)
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Emphasis)
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• बलिनः: strong
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of 'yakṣāḥ')
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• कामरूपिणः: able to assume forms at will
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष (कामेन रूपम् = form at will)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• तत्रैव → तत्र + एव

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Vira rasaSetting: Varṣa (mythic region) with sacred river

Speaker

Varāha

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

Varaha teaches her

Her state of mind

Curious

The teaching

Path

Cosmological Ontology

Subjects

CosmologyGeographyHeritage Sites

Core idea

The cosmos is populated by multiple orders of beings (humans, yakṣas, etc.) with distinct capacities (kāmarūpitva), suggesting graded embodiment and powers within saṃsāra.

In practice

Cultivate humility and discernment: extraordinary powers (kāmarūpa) are not identical with spiritual freedom; prioritize dharma and inner clarity over fascination with siddhi-like traits.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Vaishnavism
• Ancient Geography
• Cosmography

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a Purāṇic cosmographic scheme that organizes space through named regions (varṣas), rivers, and boundary landmarks, reflecting how Sanskrit literature encoded geography, mythic ethnography, and cultural memory.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse identifies Hiraṇmaya-varṣa and the river Hairaṇvatī, bounded by Śveta and Triśṛṅga. These names function primarily within Purāṇic cosmography; modern identifications are uncertain and generally treated as mytho-geographical rather than strictly cartographic.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse is primarily descriptive rather than prescriptive; its philosophical instruction is indirect—emphasizing ordered spatial knowledge (cosmic geography) and the recognition of diverse beings inhabiting different regions within a structured world.