Varaha Purana 175.21: Adhyaya 175, Shloka 21

The Sanctity of the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā Pilgrimage-Ford and the Account of the Brahmin Vasu’s Daughter

Uttara Bhāga · Tīrtha–Māhātmya and Courtly/Social Narrative (Devagartteśvara–Śiva; Kānyakubja episode)

Devanagari script

एवंविधा तत्र तत्र तीर्थस्नानपरायणा ॥ दृष्टा वेश्यसमूहेन प्रागल्भ्येन तदा क्वचित् ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 175.21

Transliteration

evaṃvidhā tatra tatra tīrthasnānaparāyaṇā | dṛṣṭā veśyāsamūhena prāgalbhyena tadā kvacit ||

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

یوں وصف والی وہ کبھی یہاں کبھی وہاں تیرتھوں میں اشنان کی پابند رہتی تھی۔ کسی وقت بے باک انداز والی طوائفوں کے ایک گروہ نے اسے دیکھ لیا۔

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Word by Word

• एवं-विधा: of such a kind
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (एवं + विधा)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: एवं (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• तत्र: there (in various places)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति—‘here and there’
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• तीर्थ-स्नान-परायणा: devoted to bathing at sacred fords
• Type: Adjective
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्नाने परायणा)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)

• दृष्टा: was seen
• Type: Verb
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘दृष्ट’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘was seen’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)

• वेश्या-समूहेन: by a group of courtesans
• Type: Noun
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेश्याः समूहः)
• Role: Kartr (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Root: वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक) + समूह (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रागल्भ्येन: with boldness/forwardness
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Root: प्रागल्भ्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)
• Role: Kala (काल)
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)

• क्वचित्: somewhere/at some time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक अनिश्चित (indefinite adverb)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)

Sandhi Notes

• एवंविधा = एवं-विधा
• तीर्थस्नानपरायणा = तीर्थ-स्नान-परायणा
• वेश्यसमूहेन = वेश्या-समूहेन

Speaker and setting

Shringara and Karuna rasaSetting: Tīrtha network / pilgrimage circuit

Speaker

Varāha

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Dharma vs. social perception

Subjects

Heritage SitesPilgrimage PracticeSocial History

Core idea

Ritual intent (tīrtha-snāna) can coexist with social entanglement; purity-practice does not automatically shield one from worldly gaze and power dynamics.

In practice

In reading Purāṇic tīrtha narratives, track how sacred practice intersects with social actors (e.g., courtesan groups) to propel plot and test character.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It juxtaposes tīrtha-practice (ritual bathing) with social groups present around pilgrimage circuits, offering material for studying lived religious geographies and social interaction in narrative sources.

Which geographic location is identified?

The verse mentions tīrthas in general but does not name a specific site.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Implicitly, it foregrounds pilgrimage discipline (tīrtha-snānā) as a valued practice, though no direct instruction is stated.