Varaha Purana 149.3: Adhyaya 149, Shloka 3

The Sacred Geography and Merit of Dvārakā

Pūrva Bhāga · Pr̥thivī–Varāha Saṃvāda (Dvāpara–Dvārakā Narrative Frame)

Devanagari script

नाराचधारावरणासिधारी सुररिपुवधकारी धरणीधरः ॥ धृतशङ्खगदाब्जचक्रपाणिः स्वयमिह शास्त्रमुदावहत्प्रधानम् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 149.3

Transliteration

nārācadhārāvaraṇāsidhārī suraripuvadhakārī dharaṇīdharaḥ || dhṛtaśaṅkhagadābjacakrapāṇiḥ svayam iha śāstram udāvahat pradhānam

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

تیروں کی بارش کی ڈھال جیسی تلوار تھامے ہوئے، دیوتاؤں کے دشمنوں کا قاتل، دھرتی کو سنبھالنے والا؛ اپنے ہاتھوں میں شنکھ، گدا، کنول اور چکر لیے، اسی نے یہاں خود سب سے برتر شاستر کی تعلیم ظاہر کی۔

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Word by Word

• नाराच-धारा-आवरण-असि-धारी: bearing a sword and a covering of a shower of arrows
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (नाराचधारायाः आवरणम्; असिधारी = असिं धारयति इति)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: नाराच (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• सुर-रिपु-वध-कारी: slayer of the enemies of the gods
• Type: Adjective
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां रिपवः; तेषां वधं करोति इति)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + रिपु (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• धरणी-धरः: supporter of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरणीं धरति इति)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)

• धृत-शङ्ख-गदा-अब्ज-चक्र-पाणिः: he whose hand holds conch, mace, lotus, and discus
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (धृताः शङ्खगदाब्जचक्राणि यस्य पाणौ सः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु, क्त) + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/स्वतन्त्र-कर्तृबोधक (emphatic: ‘himself’)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-emphasis)
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)

• इह: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Root: इह (अव्यय)

• शास्त्रम्: treatise; scripture
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• उदावहत्: brought forth; carried out
• Type: Verb
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः—उद्-आ (ud-ā)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Root: √वह् (धातु)

• प्रधानम्: chief; principal
• Type: Adjective
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies शास्त्रम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• नाराचधारावरणासिधारी = नाराच-धारा-आवरण-असि-धारी (समास-संयोग)
• शास्त्रमुदावहत् = शास्त्रम् + उदावहत् (म् + उ → मु)

Speaker and setting

Vira and Shanta rasaSetting: Theological tableau

Speaker

Sūta / Narrator (implied)

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma-theology (authority of śāstra)

Subjects

DharmaTheology (Vaishnava iconography)Kingship/ProtectionTextual Authority

Core idea

True dharma is safeguarded by divine power and articulated as śāstra; protection and instruction are inseparable.

In practice

Treat dharma-instructions as living guidance; combine ethical learning with protective responsibility (especially for rulers/guardians).

The Varaha avatara

With the Earth

Indirect: he is called ‘dharaṇīdhara’ (upholder of Earth), implying protective relationship to Bhū/earth, while he promulgates śāstra.

Symbolism of the boar

Dharma

Mathura and Krishna

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaishnavism
• Sanskrit Poetics

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic strategy of authorizing teachings by associating them with a divine figure who embodies protection and cosmic order.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific place-name appears in this verse; it functions as a descriptive transition within the narrative.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Legitimate instruction (śāstra) is framed as protective and order-sustaining, linked to restraint of destructive forces.