Varaha Purana 113.12: Adhyaya 113, Shloka 12

Hymn to Varāha and Pṛthivī’s Inquiry

Prelude to the Sanatkumāra Dialogue

Uttara Bhāga · Sacred geography and ascetic lineages (kṣetra and ṛṣi networks)

Devanagari script

ततो महीवचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मपुत्रो महातपाः ॥ कोकामुखे मम क्षेत्रं जपन्तो ब्रह्मवादिनः

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 113.12

Transliteration

tato mahī-vacaḥ śrutvā brahma-putro mahā-tapāḥ || kokā-mukhe mama kṣetraṃ japanto brahma-vādinaḥ

ITRANS transliteration

Translation

Rồi, sau khi nghe lời của Mahī (Đất Mẹ), vị đại khổ hạnh—con của Brahmā—(nói về) các bậc hiền triết brahmavādin đang trì tụng japa tại Kokāmukha, thánh địa của ta.

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Word by Word

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Temporal adverb/काल)
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• मही-वचः: the words of the Earth (goddess)
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मह्याः वचः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/त्वा), अव्ययभाव
• Role: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)

• ब्रह्म-पुत्रः: Brahmā’s son
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• महा-तपाः: of great austerity
• Type: Adjective
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महत्तपाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• कोका-मुखे: at Kokā-mukha (a place)
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-भाव: कोकायाः मुखम्/कोकामुखम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (स्थानवाचक)
• Role: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Root: कोका (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)

• मम: my
• Type: Noun
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred field/holy place
• Type: Noun
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• जपन्तः: chanting
• Type: Verb
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Root: जप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)

• ब्रह्म-वादिनः: speakers of Brahman / Vedic disputants
• Type: Noun
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्म वदन्ति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• महीवचः = मही + वचः
• ब्रह्मपुत्रो = ब्रह्मपुत्रः (ओ-कारादेशः पदान्ते)
• महातपाः = महा + तपाः
• कोकामुखे = कोका + मुखे
• ब्रह्मवादिनः = ब्रह्म + वादिनः

Speaker and setting

Adbhuta and Shanta rasaSetting: Tīrtha/kshetra (sacred site)

Bhu Devi and Varaha

In this verse

She listens

Her state of mind

Heard/acknowledged (her words are being listened to)

What she asks

Which sacred site and which ascetic community preserve and recite the tradition connected to Earth’s statement?

The teaching

Kind of teaching

Tradition and authority (paramparā)

Subjects

GeographyHeritage SitesAscetic traditions

Core idea

Sacred knowledge is preserved through brahmavādins’ disciplined recitation at consecrated places.

In practice

Seek teachings in living lineages and tīrthas where practice (japa, tapas) sustains textual meaning.

Cross references

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Ancient Geography
• Pilgrimage Studies
• Purāṇic Genealogies

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It preserves a memory of localized sacred geography (kṣetra) connected to itinerant or resident ascetic communities, a common Purāṇic method of mapping religious and cultural landscapes.

Which geographic location is identified?

Kokāmukha is named as a kṣetra; precise modern identification is uncertain without additional manuscript context and regional toponymic study.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined recitation (japa) and learned discourse (brahma-vāda) as valued practices within sacred space.