Varaha Purana

Adhyaya 1

Praise of Varāha and Pṛthivī’s Foundational Questions

The chapter begins with a maṅgala-style invocation and extended praise of Varāha, the cosmic savior who raises the Earth

Adhyaya 2

Cosmogony and the Ninefold Creation: Rudra’s Origin and the Prelude to the Sāvitrī–Veda Narrative

In this chapter, Varāha answers Pṛthivī’s inquiry by defining the five standard marks of a Purāṇa: sarga, pratisarga, va

Adhyaya 3

Nārada’s Account of a Former Birth and a Hymn to Nārāyaṇa

Within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya turns to a secondary dialogue in which Priyavrata asks th

Adhyaya 4

On Nārāyaṇa’s Ten Avatāras and Eightfold Manifestations, and the Account of King Aśvaśirā

In dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha about Nārāyaṇa’s status—whether He can be fully described in every respect or is ultima

Adhyaya 5

Reconciliation of Action and Knowledge: Offering All Acts to Nārāyaṇa and the Hymn to the Yajña-Puruṣa

Within the instructional frame of Varāha and Pṛthivī, King Aśvaśiras approaches Kapila to settle a central doubt about l

Adhyaya 6

The Puṇḍarīkākṣapāraka Hymn and Puṣkara Tīrtha: The Account of King Vasu’s Release from Sin

Pṛthivī asks Varāha what King Vasu did after receiving the doubt-clearing instruction connected with Raibhya and Aṅgiras

Adhyaya 7

The Sanctity of Gayā: Raibhya’s Encounter and Hymn to Viṣṇu (Gadādhara)

Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the sage Raibhya after hearing of the siddha Vasu, seeking clarity about Raibhya’s conduct. Va

Adhyaya 8

Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices (Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna)

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of a dharmavyādha who, though long living as a hunter, limits harm to the bare minimum for subsiste

Adhyaya 9

The Sequence of Creation, the Emergence of the Praṇava, and the Fish Incarnation’s Retrieval of the Vedas

Pṛthivī (Dharanī) asks Varāha to explain precisely what Nārāyaṇa did at the dawn of the Kṛta Yuga and how the cosmos aro

Adhyaya 10

The Threefold Division by the Guṇas, the Deities’ Attainment of Worship, and the Opening of the Durjaya Episode

Varāha recounts that as creation spreads, the ancient gods perform vast sacrifices to Nārāyaṇa across islands and region

Adhyaya 11

Hospitality at Gauramukha’s Hermitage and the Power of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel

Varāha tells Pṛthivī how King Durjaya comes to the hermitage of the sage Gauramukha and is received with due, formal hos

Adhyaya 12

Supratīka’s Hymn to Rāma and the Granting of a Boon through Divine Manifestation

Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī an episode about King Supratīka: hearing that his son was burned by the fire of the discus (r

Adhyaya 13

The Genealogy of the Pitṛs and the Determination of Śrāddha Times

In dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the sage Gauramukha—his response on witnessing Hari’s swift deed and the “fruit”

Adhyaya 14

Ritual Procedure for Śrāddha: Sequence, Eligibility, and Offerings to Ancestors

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter serves as a procedural manual for śrāddha (ancestral rites) hande

Adhyaya 15

Gauramukha’s Recollection and the Hymn to Hari at Prabhāsa

In dialogue with Pṛthivī, Varāha continues the Śrāddha-focused account, describing what happened after Mārkaṇḍeya taught

Adhyaya 16

The Account of Saramā: Indra’s Restoration after Loss of Sovereignty

Pṛthivī asks Varāha to resolve a doubt: after Durvāsas curses Indra to dwell among mortals, what Indra and the celestial

Adhyaya 17

King Prajāpāla’s Visit to Sage Mahātapā’s Hermitage and the Doctrinal Praise of Nārāyaṇa

Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the origin and later function of the “maṇija” figures and the boons said to be granted in Tret

Adhyaya 18

The Origin of Fire and the Liturgical Names of Agni

The chapter begins with a formal inquiry into the origins and embodied forms of deities tied to body and cosmos—Agni, th

Adhyaya 19

The Glory of Lunar Days: The Pratipadā Observance and the Merit of Hearing Agni’s Origin

Within the wider Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter presents a didactic sub-dialogue where Mahātapā instructs a

Adhyaya 20

The Birth of the Aśvins: Solar Lineage, Saṃjñā and Chāyā, and the Granting of a Hymn and Boons

Within the didactic Varāha–Pṛthivī setting, this adhyāya explains how prāṇa and apāna become embodied as the divine Aśvi

Adhyaya 21

The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari–Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the account tells how Prajāpati Brahmā at first struggled to generate beings,

Adhyaya 22

Gaurī’s Rebirth, Umā’s Austerities, Rudra’s Test, and the Himalayan Wedding

Within the teaching dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter presents the Gaurī–Umā account as a model of ethical re

Adhyaya 23

The Birth of Gaṇapati, the Emergence of the Vināyakas, and the Significance of the Fourth Lunar Day

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter explains how order in worldly undertakings is upheld through prop

Adhyaya 24

The Birth of the Nāgas, Brahmā’s Curse, and the Pañcamī Observance

Framed by Pṛthivī’s question, Varāha explains how mighty beings, through contact and karmic disposition, came to be embo

Adhyaya 25

The Birth of Ahaṅkāra as Guha/Skanda and His Appointment as Divine Commander

Framed as a teaching dialogue between Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter explains how cosmic principles give rise to embod

Adhyaya 26

The Sun’s Assumption of Form and the Gods’ Hymn of Pacification

Within the Varāha Purāṇa’s dialogic teaching frame (Varāha instructing Pṛthivī), this adhyāya raises a secondary query:

Adhyaya 27

The Slaying of Andhaka and the Manifestation of the Eight Mother-Goddesses from Divine Afflictions

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter recounts Andhaka’s oppression of the devas, their flight to Meru,

Adhyaya 28

The Manifestation of Māyā as Durgā/Kātyāyanī and the Slaying of Vaitrāsura

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Pṛthivī asks how Māyā arose as the auspicious Durgā/Kātyāyanī—subtle in essenc

Adhyaya 29

The Birth and Marriages of the Direction-Goddesses and the Daśamī Observance

In a didactic setting reflecting the Varāha Purāṇa’s concern for Pṛthivī and cosmic order, this chapter gives an origin

Adhyaya 30

The Origin of Dhanada (Kubera) from Vāyu and the Observance of the Ekādaśī Vow

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the sage Mahātapā gives a didactic etiological account showing that lordship o

Adhyaya 31

The Manifestation of Viṣṇu’s Form for Cosmic Governance (the Vaiṣṇava Creation Narrative)

Set within the Purāṇic teaching frame of Varāha instructing Pṛthivī, this chapter gives a cosmogonic account of why Viṣṇ

Adhyaya 32

Dharma as the Bull-Form: Soma’s Transgression and the Institution of the Thirteenth Lunar Day Observance

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter gives a mythic account of social and terrestrial order: Brahmā, se

Adhyaya 33

The Origin of Rudra, the Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, and the Establishment of Paśupati

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of Rudra’s primordial emergence: a tapas-filled being of fierce power, named Rudra because Brahmā e

Adhyaya 34

Account of the Origin of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Regulations for Śrāddha Offerings

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s instructive dialogue (Varāha teaching Pṛthivī), this adhyāya explains the cosmogonic orig

Adhyaya 35

The Account of Soma’s Decline and Restoration, and the Paurṇamāsī Observance

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter gives an etiological account of the Moon’s waning and renewal

Adhyaya 36

Account of the Maṇija Kings and a Hymn to Govinda Leading to Liberation

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya offers a didactic royal historiography: Mahātapā recounts to a ki

Adhyaya 37

The Threefold Discipline (Mental, Physical, Verbal) and the Salvific Power of Hearing Nārāyaṇa’s Name

Pṛthivī asks Varāha for practical instruction on how devotees—women and men—should worship. Varāha replies that he is at

Adhyaya 38

The Hunter’s Austerity and the Gaining of Durvāsas’ Favor

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of a vyādha (hunter) who undertakes severe tapas while constantly remembering his guru. At alms-tim

Adhyaya 39

Discrimination of the Three Bodies and the Dharaṇī Vow: A Manual for Dvādaśī Observance

Cast as a didactic dialogue (emblematically between Varāha and Pṛthivī), the chapter classifies embodied existence in th

Adhyaya 40

Ritual Procedure for the Kūrma Dvādaśī Observance

This adhyāya sets out a prescriptive vrata taught by Durvāsā, centered on Janārdana/Nārāyaṇa in the Kūrma form and fixed

Adhyaya 41

Rite of the Varāha Dvādaśī Vow and an Exemplary Narrative on Expiation for Brahmin-Slaying

In a didactic frame attributed to Durvāsas, the chapter prescribes the Māgha-śukla-dvādaśī observance for Varāha: prepar

Adhyaya 42

Ritual Procedure for the Phālguna Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī Narasiṃha Worship, with the Narrative of King Vatsa

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Durvāsas sets forth the Phālguna śukla-dvādaśī observance: fasting, then a car

Adhyaya 43

The Caitra Dvādaśī Observance and the Ritual Procedure for Worship of Vāmana

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya prescribes the vrata-vidhi for Caitra-month Dvādaśī: fasting

Adhyaya 44

The Vaiśākha Bright-Twelfth Observance: Worship of Hari as Jāmadagnya and Its Fruits

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter sets out the ritual procedure for the bright-twelfth (dvādaśī) ob

Adhyaya 45

Ritual Procedure for Worship of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in the Month of Jyeṣṭha

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Durvāsas delivers a ritual manual for the month of Jyeṣṭha. The practition

Adhyaya 46

The Rite of the Āṣāḍha Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī Fast and the Installation (Nyāsa) of the Fourfold Manifestation

Set within the instructive dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, the chapter teaches a vrata rite attributed to Durvāsas for t

Adhyaya 47

The Rite of Śrāvaṇa Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī (Dāmodara Worship) and the Exemplum of King Nṛga

Set within the instructional dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter teaches a vrata procedure through the authorit

Adhyaya 48

The Kalki Dvādaśī Observance and the Episode of King Viśāla

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter lays down the Bhādrapada-śukla Dvādaśī observance centered on Kalk

Adhyaya 49

The Padmanābha Dvādaśī Observance, with the Eulogy of Lamp-Offering Merit

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Durvāsas teaches a vrata for Aśvayuja śukla-dvādaśī: worship of the eternal Pa

Adhyaya 50

The Procedure for the Dharaṇī Vow (Kārtika Dvādaśī Observance)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya sets out a ritual manual through an embedded dialogue: Durvāsā re

Adhyaya 51

Recollection of the Dharaṇī-vrata and the Agastya–Bhadrāśva Dialogue on Liberation

Varāha resumes his teaching after Durvāsas’ statement on the supreme Dharaṇī-vrata, describing Satyatapās’ journey to th

Adhyaya 52

The Genealogy of Trivarṇa, Manohvā, and the Akṣa Lineage, with the Construction of the Nine-Gated City

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Agastya recounts a lineage that exemplifies the imposition of order upon a for

Adhyaya 53

The Origin Account of Saptamūrti Svara and the Emergence of Saṃbhūti through Vibhūti

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter is conveyed through a secondary dialogue in which Bhadrāśva asks A

Adhyaya 54

Nārada’s Teaching on a Viṣṇu-Vrata for Securing a Husband (Narrative of the Apsarases)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Bhadrāśva asks Agastya which deity grants true knowledge (vijñāna) and how to

Adhyaya 55

Observance of the Auspicious Dvādaśī Vow and the Sacred Account of the Kubjākāmra Tīrtha

Within the teaching dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, the chapter sets forth a Vaiṣṇava vow focused on calendrical discipl

Adhyaya 56

Ritual Procedure for the Dhanyavrata (Prosperity Vow)

Set within the Purāṇic teaching scene of Varāha instructing Pṛthivī, this adhyāya teaches the Dhanyavrata, conveyed thro

Adhyaya 57

The Observance for Attaining Radiance: The Soma Kānti-Vrata

Set within the instructional dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this adhyāya, voiced by the sage Agastya to a king, gives a

Adhyaya 58

The Procedure for the Saubhāgyakaraṇa Vow (Rite for Auspicious Fortune)

The chapter teaches a vrata said to bestow saubhāgya (auspicious fortune) on women and men, delivered as instruction to

Adhyaya 59

The Obstacle-Removing Vow (Procedure for Worship of Vināyaka)

This adhyāya prescribes an avighnakara vrata to prevent or remove obstacles (vighna) in ritual and worldly affairs. It i

Adhyaya 60

The Rite of the Śāntivrata: A Yearlong Observance with Viṣṇu-on-Śeṣa and Nāga-Anganyāsa Worship

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, a received instruction is presented in which the sage Agastya addresses a king

Adhyaya 61

The Observance for the Fulfilment of Desires: Worship of Keśava in the Form of Guha (Kumāra)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya sets forth a vrata taught by the sage Agastya to a mahārāja/nṛpa

Adhyaya 62

Instruction on the ‘Health Vow’ and the Rite of Solar Worship

Set within a Purāṇic dialogue frame (here aligned as Varāha instructing Pṛthivī), the chapter teaches the Ārogyavrata, a

Adhyaya 63

Procedure for the Son-Obtaining Vow (Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī Observance)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Agastya presents a concise procedure for the putraprāpti-vrata centered on Kṛṣ

Adhyaya 64

Procedure for the Vow that Cultivates Valor (Durgā Navamī Observance)

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s instructive dialogue (Varāha teaching Pṛthivī), this chapter presents a vrata voiced thro

Adhyaya 65

The Sovereignty Vow and the Cycle of Tithi-Based Observances

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter serves as a compact ritual manual on vows (vrata) tied to lun

Adhyaya 66

Nārada’s Journey to Śvetadvīpa and the Means of Attaining the Lord through the Pañcarātra

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter is told as a reported dialogue: Bhadrāśva asks Agastya about e

Adhyaya 67

On the Two ‘Sita–Kṛṣṇā’ Figures, the Sevenfold Ocean, and the Twelvefold Year

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya offers a subsidiary dialogue in which Bhadrāśva asks the sage

Adhyaya 68

Dharma Across the Four Yugas, the Disruption of Social Conduct, and Ritual Purification from Varṇa-Mixing Transgressions

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s instructive dialogue (Varāha as teacher and Pṛthivī as the ethical, earthly horizon), thi

Adhyaya 69

Agastya’s Vision of Varuṇa as Nārāyaṇa in Ilāvṛta

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Pṛthivī’s question leads Varāha to recall a paradigmatic account of perception

Adhyaya 70

Nārāyaṇa as the Sacrificial Principle, Analysis of the Three Guṇas, and the Account of Delusion-Doctrines

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter presents an embedded dialogue in which Bhadrāśva recounts prol

Adhyaya 71

Vision of the Trimūrti in Rudra, the Gautama Curse, the Manifestation of the Godāvarī, and the Niḥśvāsa-saṃhitā Account

Varāha tells Pṛthivī a didactic episode, framed as Agastya’s report to a king: sages behold Brahmā (Kamalāsana) and Nārā

Adhyaya 72

Instruction on the Unity of the Triad (Brahmā–Viṣṇu–Rudra)

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s didactic frame (Varāha instructing Pṛthivī), this adhyāya presents a secondary dialogue i

Adhyaya 73

Rudra’s Hymn: Vision of Nārāyaṇa, the Emergence of the Ādityas, and the Mutual Boon of Hari and Hara

Varāha recounts Rudra’s memory of a primordial episode: Brahmā, newly charged with creation, sinks into the cosmic water

Adhyaya 74

Measures of the Earth and the Cosmos: The Expansion of the Universe and the Division of Continents and Regions

In a didactic setting led by Varāha, the sages question the eternal Rudra (Śambhu) about the dimensions of earth and cos

Adhyaya 75

Description of Jambūdvīpa: its regions, mountains, measurements, and cosmic structure

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter serves as a lesson in Purāṇic cosmography: the teacher-voice (her

Adhyaya 76

Description of Svarga: Amarāvatī, the Sudharmā Assembly Hall, and the Directional Cities

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue, the chapter turns to Purāṇic cosmography: Rudra describes a radiant region east of M

Adhyaya 77

Measurements of Mount Meru, the Boundary Mountains, and the Four Directional Great Trees

Within the continuing Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Rudra sets forth a cosmographic account of Mount Meru as the stabil

Adhyaya 78

Names of the Four Directional Mountain-Kings and Their Lakes (Rudra’s Geographical Description)

Within the wider Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya gives a didactic catalogue of sacred geography spoken by Ru

Adhyaya 79

Description of the Inner Basins (Droṇīs): Śrīsaras, Śrīvana, Bilva Forest, and Tāla Grove

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s instructive dialogue (Varāha teaching Pṛthivī), this adhyāya offers a topographic and cos

Adhyaya 80

Cosmographic Ordering of the Southern and Western Quarters: Valleys, Forest-Plateaus, and Sacred Sites

Within the instructional frame of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter (here attributed to Rudra) serves as a didactic catal

Adhyaya 81

Description of the Divine Mountain Abodes: Meru, Devakūṭa, and Kailāsa

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the discourse (given here through Rudra’s report) catalogs sacred mountain reg

Adhyaya 82

The Descent of the Rivers: The Sky-Gaṅgā and Her Fourfold Division

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter’s instruction is voiced through Rudra, giving a cosmographic acco

Adhyaya 83

Description of the Bhadrāśva and Ketumāla Regions: Niṣadha’s Western Janapadas and River Systems

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī instructional frame, though voiced in the received passage by Rudra, this chapter gives a

Adhyaya 84

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

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī pedagogical frame, the chapter gives Rudra’s account of the northern and southern varṣas, with

Adhyaya 85

The Ninefold Division of Bhārata and the Enumeration of Its Mountains and River Systems

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the chapter’s instruction is delivered through a quoted Rudra-voice as authori

Adhyaya 86

Description of Śākadvīpa and Kuśadvīpa (Cosmographic Geography)

In the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue, the account turns from earlier cosmography to an instructive description of the island-c

Adhyaya 87

Description of Krauñcadvīpa: its mountains, regions, rivers, and encircling ocean

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter offers a cosmographic lesson that portrays Earth’s ordered struct

Adhyaya 88

Account of the Extents of Śālmaladvīpa, Gomedadvīpa, and Puṣkaradvīpa

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Rudra gives a concise cosmographic account of the dvīpas and their proportiona

Adhyaya 89

The Hierarchy of the Trimūrti and the Manifestation of the Goddess Trikalā

Prompted by Pṛthivī’s question about rival claims to supremacy—Śiva, Hari (Viṣṇu), Īśāna, or Brahmā—Varāha clarifies par

Adhyaya 90

Description of the Threefold Goddess-Power and Brahmā’s Hymn to Sṛṣṭi

Framed as Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī (Varārohā/Viśālākṣī), the chapter teaches a triadic doctrine of śakti attribut

Adhyaya 91

The Vaiṣṇavī Goddess on Mount Mandara: Emergence of the Maidens, Construction of the Goddess-City, and Nārada’s Visit

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of a Vaiṣṇavī Devī dwelling on Mount Mandara, observing the kaumāra-vrata and performing intense ta

Adhyaya 92

The Demon King’s Council Deliberation and the Mobilization of an Army to Conquer the Devas

Varāha relates that after Nārada departs, the Daitya ruler Mahiṣa remains consumed by thoughts of the auspicious maiden

Adhyaya 93

The Battle of Mahiṣa Daitya and the Gods

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī instructional frame, this chapter recounts a vast devāsura war as a warning about destabilizin

Adhyaya 94

The Birth of Mahiṣāsura and the Goddess’s Victory as Mahīṣamardinī

Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī how a messenger of the daitya Vidyutprabha approaches the Goddess with a marriage proposal on

Adhyaya 95

The Slaying of the Daitya Ruru, the Hymn to Cāmuṇḍā/Kālarātri, and the Doctrine of the Threefold Power

Varāha recounts to Pṛthivī an episode focused on the tāmāsī raudrī śakti—Kālarātri/Cāmuṇḍā—performing austerities on Nīl

Adhyaya 96

The Threefold Power: The Raudrī Observance and the Manifestation of Chāmuṇḍā

Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī a teaching on the triśakti (threefold śakti) and the Raudrī vrata. A tamasic Raudrī power und

Adhyaya 97

The Glory of Rudra: The Origin of the Kapālamocana Pilgrimage Site and Rudra’s Expiatory Vow

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on the origin of Rudra’s expiatory observance (rudra-vrata) and the arising of Kapālamocana as

Adhyaya 98

Chapter on the Sacred Hill Episode: Satyatapā and the Marvel of Varāha

In dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha to explain a marvel reported on Himavant. Varāha recounts the brāhmaṇa Satyatapā, who o

Adhyaya 99

The Greatness and Rite of the Sesame-Cow (Tiladhenu) Gift

In dialogue with Pṛthivī, Varāha sets forth a salvific ritual regimen that removes grave sins and restores prosperity, p

Adhyaya 100

Ritual Procedure for the Donation of the ‘Water-Cow’ (Jaladhenu)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter sets out a prescriptive manual for jaladhenu-dāna, a merit-bearin

Adhyaya 101

The Eulogy and Procedure of the ‘Rasadhenu’ (Sugarcane-Juice Cow) Donation

Set in the customary Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya presents a ritual-manual passage in which a hotṛ instru

Adhyaya 102

The Merit and Ritual Procedure of Donating a Jaggery Cow (Guḍadhenu)

Within the teaching dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter sets out a ritual manual for guḍadhenu-dāna: constructi

Adhyaya 103

Ritual Procedure for the Donation of the ‘Sugar-Cow’ (Śarkarā-Dhenu)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter lays down a ritual manual for making and donating the śarkarā-dhe

Adhyaya 104

The Eulogy and Procedure of the ‘Honey-Cow’ Gift (Madhudhenudāna)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter gives a ritual-technical instruction on madhudhenudāna, the “gift

Adhyaya 105

Ritual Procedure for the Gift of the Milk-Cow (Kṣīradhenu)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter prescribes a dāna-vidhi for making and gifting a symbolic “milk-c

Adhyaya 106

The Significance and Rite of Donating the ‘Curd-Cow’ (Dadhidhenudāna)

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame typical of the Varāha Purāṇa, this adhyāya gives a concise vidhāna for dadh

Adhyaya 107

The Glorification of Donating a Butter-Cow (Navanīta-Dhenu)

Set within the Purāṇic teaching frame of Varāha instructing Pṛthivī, this adhyāya prescribes the vidhi for crafting and

Adhyaya 108

The Eulogy and Procedure of Donating the ‘Salt-Cow’ (Lavaṇadhenu)

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter prescribes the lavaṇadhenu-dāna, the donation of a ritual “co

Adhyaya 109

The Merit and Procedure of Donating the ‘Cotton Cow’ (Kārpāsa-dhenu)

Set in the customary Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya instructs on kārpāsadhenu-dāna, the donation of a “cott

Adhyaya 110

The Glory and Procedure of the Grain-Cow (Dhānyadhenu) Donation

Framed as Varāha instructing Pṛthivī, the chapter teaches a king the māhātmya and exact ritual method for donating the d

Adhyaya 111

The Eulogy of Donating a Tawny (Kapilā) Cow

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya (via a narrator’s introduction) instructs on kapilādhenudāna,

Adhyaya 112

Praise and Procedure of Donating the Two-Faced Kapilā Cow and the Golden Pot (Hema-kumbha)

Adhyāya 112 is cast as an instructional dialogue in which Pṛthivī asks Varāha to explain the merit (puṇya-phala) of the

Adhyaya 113

Hymn to Varāha and Pṛthivī’s Inquiry (Prelude to the Sanatkumāra Dialogue)

Adhyāya 113 begins with a formal hymn to Varāha, praising Viṣṇu’s boar-form as the cosmic power who lifts up the Earth a

Adhyaya 114

The Varāha Incarnation and Pṛthivī’s Inquiries on Ritual Procedure and Devotional Outcomes

Adhyāya 114 begins with sages praising Nārāyaṇa, after which Varāha speaks to Vasundharā (Pṛthivī), vowing to uphold and

Adhyaya 115

The Arising of Diverse Dharmas: Devotional Observances and Varṇa-Based Duties

In reply to Pṛthivī’s question about deeds that bring heavenly welfare and steady human conduct, Varāha (as Nārāyaṇa) te

Adhyaya 116

An Exposition on the Causes of Happiness and Suffering

In dialogue with Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), Varāha sets forth a paired ethical typology of practices that yield sukha (well-b

Adhyaya 117

The Thirty-Two Offenses: Rules of Purity and Proper Conduct in Worship

Varāha addresses Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) and sets forth an “āhāra-vidhi-niścaya,” distinguishing acceptable from unacceptab

Adhyaya 118

Procedure for Divine Worship Services (Ritual Attendant Protocol)

This adhyāya is framed as Śrīvarāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī on a disciplined daily sequence of devopacāra (ritual worsh

Adhyaya 119

Ritual Regulations on Permissible Foods for Offering and Consumption

Adhyāya 119 continues the instructive dialogue between Pṛthivī (Dharāṇī/Vasudhā) and Varāha. Having heard a prior karmav

Adhyaya 120

Procedure for the Three Daily Twilight Mantra-Observance

In dialogue, Varāha instructs Pṛthivī (Dharā/Devī) in a “supremely secret” teaching meant to help one cross saṃsāra. The

Adhyaya 121

Avoidance of Rebirth in the Womb: Ethical Conduct and the Prevention of Degraded Rebirth

In a didactic exchange, Varāha instructs Pṛthivī (Vasundharā/Mādhavī) on the qualities and practices by which a person “

Adhyaya 122

The Greatness of Kokāmukha (Sacred Site Eulogy and Salvific Narrative)

Varāha addresses Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) and introduces the “Kokāmukha-māhātmya” as a confidential teaching, declaring that

Adhyaya 123

The Greatness of Fragrant Flowers and Leaves: Prabodhinī (Awakening) Observances and Seasonal Rites

After hearing of Kokā’s merit, Pṛthivī marvels that even an animal birth can reach the supreme goal and asks Varāha for

Adhyaya 124

Ritual Observances Aligned with the Seasons (Seasonal Devotional Procedure)

The chapter unfolds as a didactic dialogue between Varāha (Nārāyaṇa in boar-form) and Pṛthivī (Vasundharā). Varāha first

Adhyaya 125

The Cycle of Māyā (Illusory Causation and Perceptual Reversal)

Sūta recounts a dialogue in which Pṛthivī, having heard earlier auspicious and purifying observances, asks Varāha (Viṣṇu

Adhyaya 126

The Greatness of Kubjāmraka: Raibhya’s Boon and the Teaching on the Sacred Tīrthas

In a dialogic frame, Pṛthivī asks Varāha to explain the previously mentioned yet unknown greatness of Kubjāmraka, its “p

Adhyaya 127

Description of the Brāhmaṇa Initiation Procedure (Dīkṣā-sūtra)

After hearing the earlier teachings, Pṛthivī (Earth) addresses Janārdana/Varāha, saying the narrated kṣetra’s power has

Adhyaya 128

Rites for the comb, collyrium, and mirror; initiations for the four social orders; and the Gaṇāntikā vow/insignia

Framed as Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī, the chapter lays out Vaiṣṇava dīkṣā procedures tailored for kṣatriya, vaiśya,

Adhyaya 129

Initiation for the Four Social Orders, Sandhyā Mantra Procedure, and the Merit of Offering Water in a Copper Vessel

Adhyāya 129 unfolds as a didactic dialogue: Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) asks for a “secret” (guhya) account of the mantra and m

Adhyaya 130

Expiation and Dietary Discipline Concerning the Consumption of Royal Food (rājānna)

Adhyāya 130 presents a didactic dialogue in which Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), after hearing of dīkṣā, asks Varāha/Nārāyaṇa how

Adhyaya 131

Expiation for Chewing the Tooth-stick (Dantakāṣṭha)

This adhyāya unfolds as a didactic dialogue between Varāha and Pṛthivī on ritual purity and the moral consequences of da

Adhyaya 132

Expiatory Rites for Contact with a Corpse and with a Menstruating Woman

Adhyāya 132 unfolds as a didactic dialogue between Varāha and Pṛthivī (Dharāṇī). Varāha teaches prāyaścitta (expiatory r

Adhyaya 133

Expiations for ritual-time impurity and the offense of defecation/urination in a sacred context

Adhyāya 133 is cast as a didactic dialogue in which Varāha teaches prāyaścitta (expiatory discipline) for bodily impurit

Adhyaya 134

Expiations for Ritual and Temporal Offences in Worship, and the Prescribed Purificatory Procedure (Upaspṛśya)

This adhyāya presents a didactic dialogue between Varāha and Pṛthivī (Dharaṇī/Vasundharā) on how devotees should remedy

Adhyaya 135

Prescriptions for Expiation of Offences: Red/Black Garments, Improper Touch in Darkness, Impure Leftovers, Eating Boar-Meat, and Consuming Jālapāda

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on a sequence of social and ritual transgressions and their prāyaścitta (expiations), presentin

Adhyaya 136

A Sūtra-like Manual of Expiations for Ritual Transgressions

In an extended dialogue, Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on prāyaścitta (expiatory discipline) for breaches of ritual protocol

Adhyaya 137

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

In a didactic dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the supreme holiness of his kṣetra, Saukarava, and the results of jour

Adhyaya 138

The Episode of the Khañjarīṭa Bird (and the Saukarava Tīrtha’s Merit)

In dialogue, Pṛthivī (Earth) asks Varāha about the efficacy of the Saukarava kṣetra: how an “unwilling death” (akāmamṛty

Adhyaya 139

The Glory of Varāha’s Rite: Merits of Cow-dung Plastering, Sweeping, Singing, Instrumental Music, and Dance (with a Truth-Vow Exemplum)

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on the karmic fruits of practical service-actions connected with his worship, stressing earthbo

Adhyaya 140

The Greatness of Kokāmukha (Badarī): Varāha’s Hidden Abode and the Sacred Waters

In dialogue, Pṛthivī (Dharā) asks Varāha where he ever abides, what his supreme seat is, and what deeds lead beings to a

Adhyaya 141

The Sacred Greatness of Badarikāśrama (Badrinath Region)

In dialogue with Pṛthivī (Earth), Varāha proclaims the extraordinary sanctity of Badarikāśrama on the Himalayan slopes,

Adhyaya 142

The Greatness of Esoteric Practice: Menstrual Impurity, Mental Equanimity, and Seasonal Conjugal Ethics

Adhyāya 142 unfolds as a teaching dialogue between Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) and Varāha. After receiving divine instruction,

Adhyaya 143

Exposition of the Glory of the Mandāra Sacred Grove

Varāha addresses Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) and reveals a “supremely secret” abode called Mandāra, beloved of devotees, on the

Adhyaya 144

The Māhātmya of Someśvara and Related Liṅgas: The Liberation-Field of Triveṇī and the Śālagrāma Sacred Landscape

In dialogue, Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) asks Varāha to describe a sacred locus superior to Mandāra. Varāha recounts the origin

Adhyaya 145

The Greatness of the Śālagrāma Sacred Region

In dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the ascetic Sālaṅkāyana and why he undertook austerities in the liberative kṣetra

Adhyaya 146

The Greatness of Hṛṣīkeśa at Rurukṣetra: The Origin Narrative of Ruru and the Sacred Site

In a dialogue framed by Sūta, Pṛthivī asks Varāha about the holiness of Rurukṣetra, the origin of the name “Ruru,” and h

Adhyaya 147

The Sacred Merit of Goniṣkramaṇa (the Tīrtha of the Cows’ Emergence/Release)

In dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha to reveal an even more secret and purifying tīrtha beyond Rurukṣetra and Hṛṣīkeśa. Varā

Adhyaya 148

The Greatness of Stutasvāmi: Varāha’s Disclosure of the Bhūtagiri Sacred Landscape and Its Ethical Discipline

In dialogue, Pṛthivī, having heard the secret greatness of goniṣkramaṇa, asks Varāha for an even more confidential teach

Adhyaya 149

The Sacred Geography and Merit of Dvārakā

The chapter begins with Pṛthivī (Dharaṇī), calmed after hearing the earlier praise of Stutasvāmin, asking for higher ins

Adhyaya 150

The Sacred Greatness of Sānandūra

After hearing the greatness of Dvārakā, Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) offers thanks and asks Varāha (Viṣṇu) to disclose an even m

Adhyaya 151

The Sacred Greatness of Lohārgala (The ‘Iron-Bolt’ Tīrtha)

The chapter takes the form of a didactic dialogue: Pṛthivī, having heard earlier sacred accounts, asks Varāha whether an

Adhyaya 152

Praise of the Sacred Geography of Mathurā

The chapter unfolds as a didactic dialogue: Pṛthivī (Earth), having heard of Varāha’s greatness, asks to be taught of a

Adhyaya 153

The Glory of the Mathurā Sacred Landscape: Saṃyamana Tīrtha and the Twelve Sacred Forests

In dialogue with Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), Varāha introduces the Mathurā tīrtha-cycle, proclaiming the unrivaled status of a

Adhyaya 154

The Efficacy of Yamunā River Pilgrimage Sites (Merits of Mathurā-Region Tīrthas)

In dialogue with Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), Varāha portrays Mathurā as a Yamunā-centered landscape of potent ritual efficacy.

Adhyaya 155

The Efficacy and Sacred Merit of Akrūra Tīrtha

In the continuing instruction to Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), Varāha describes the rarity and abiding stability of Ananta/Akrūr

Adhyaya 156

The Manifest Sacred Landscape of Mathurā: Merits of Vatsakrīḍanaka, Bhāṇḍīraka, Vṛndāvana, Keśītīrtha, and the Sūrya-Tīrthas

Framed as Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī, the chapter charts the sacred geography around Mathurā through a sequence of

Adhyaya 157

Praise of the Malayārjuna Sacred Ford and the Mathurā–Yamunā Pilgrimage Cycle

In dialogue, Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on a network of sacred waters and groves around the Yamunā and Mathurā. Bathing (s

Adhyaya 158

The Manifestation and Sanctifying Power of the Mathurā Tīrtha

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of Mathurā’s unsurpassed holiness as his own sacred maṇḍala: bathing there destroys sin, and the kṣ

Adhyaya 159

The Procedure and Merit of Circumambulating Mathurā

The chapter is cast as a teaching dialogue between Pṛthivī (Dharaṇī) and Varāha. Pṛthivī, having heard much about tīrtha

Adhyaya 160

The Prescribed Emergence and Procedure of the Mathurā Circumambulation (Parikramā)

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on the proper time, vows, and route for the Mathurā parikramā, portraying pilgrimage as a disci

Adhyaya 161

The Efficacy of the Sacred Forests: The Merit of Pilgrimage to Mathurā’s Twelve Groves

In a didactic dialogue, Pṛthivī (Dharaṇī) asks Varāha about the fate of those who have turned away from dharma and lack

Adhyaya 162

The Efficacy and Merit of Cakra-tīrtha

Varāha recounts to Pṛthivī an episode north of Mathurā to demonstrate the prabhāva (efficacy) of Cakratīrtha. A Veda-tra

Adhyaya 163

The Greatness of Kapila-Varāha: The Efficacy of Vaikuṇṭha Tīrtha and the Installation History of the Varāha Image

Varāha speaks to Pṛthivī (Vasundharā) and recounts an ancient episode revealing the purificatory power of Vaikuṇṭha-tīrt

Adhyaya 164

The Efficacy of Circumambulating Annakūṭa (Govardhana)

In dialogue, Varāha describes to Pṛthivī the sacred geography and ritual efficacy of the Govardhana/Annakūṭa region west

Adhyaya 165

The Glory of Mathurā: The Account of Piṇḍa-Offering at the Catuḥsāmudrika Well

Varāha speaks to Pṛthivī and recounts an exemplum set in Pratiṣṭhāna in the Dakṣiṇāpatha. A wealthy vaiśya, Suśīla, abso

Adhyaya 166

The Greatness of the Sacred Pond Called Asikuṇḍa

Pṛthivī asks Varāha to explain the tīrtha called Asikuṇḍa. Varāha recounts a royal episode: the righteous king Sumati ha

Adhyaya 167

The Glory of the Viśrānti Tīrtha and the Account of a Rākṣasa’s Liberation

Varāha answers Pṛthivī’s question as to why the sacred name “Viśrānti” was first uttered by a rākṣasa, and recounts its

Adhyaya 168

The Merit of Seeing Mathurā’s Guardian-Deity and a Catalog of Mathurā’s Sacred Geography

Pṛthivī asks who is stationed as Mathurā’s protector and what puṇya arises from seeing him. Varāha replies that the guar

Adhyaya 169

The Greatness of Mathurā: The Ardhacandra Sacred Bathing Rite and the Procedure for the Yajñopavīta Observance

Varāha proclaims Mathurā as an unsurpassed sacred landscape in the three worlds, pervaded by Kṛṣṇa’s presence and center

Adhyaya 170

The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship (including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics)

Varāha speaks to Pṛthivī and recounts an older tale from Mathurā: the merchant Vasukarṇa and his wife Suśīlā grieve over

Adhyaya 171

Śuka’s Ocean Voyage: Adverse Winds, Arrival at a Viṣṇu Shrine, and Aid from the Jaṭāyu Birds

Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī the episode of Śuka and his father Gokarṇa, who leave Mathurā on a merchant sea-voyage in sea

Adhyaya 172

The Harm of Destroying a Grove and the Merit of Tree-Planting as Pūrta-Dharma

Varāha narrates a didactic episode centered on Gokarṇa, who beholds a group of devīs once radiant but now disfigured and

Adhyaya 173

Account of Gokarṇa’s Śuka-Satra, Temple Consecration, and the Resulting Merit

Varāha tells Pṛthivī of the aftermath of Gokarṇa’s auspicious settlement: he honors Śuka, his parents, and a virtuous ho

Adhyaya 174

The Sanctifying Power of River Confluences: Release from the Preta-State and the Rite of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī with Vāmana Worship

Varāha presents this chapter as instruction that a saṅgama (river confluence) purifies even grievous sin. Within that te

Adhyaya 175

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

Varāha continues instructing Pṛthivī by describing the sacred complex linked with the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā and the Yamunā (Kālindī

Adhyaya 176

The Māhātmya of Kṛṣṇagaṅgodbhava, Kāliñjara, and the Five Sacred Baths: The Tale of Pāñcāla and Tilottamā

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter illustrates how earthly tīrthas serve as instruments of ethical r

Adhyaya 177

The Curse of Sāmba and the Prescribed Observance of Sun-Worship

Varāha tells Pṛthivī to hear another episode from Kṛṣṇa’s life at Dvārakā, focused on Sāmba. Nārada arrives and, after d

Adhyaya 178

Ritual Observance for Reciting the Deeds of Śatrughna (Remembrance of the Slaying of Lavaṇa)

Varāha, as the chief instructor, gives Pṛthivī a prescriptive teaching that links the remembrance of sacred narrative wi

Adhyaya 179

Enumeration of Ritual Offenses and Their Expiations; The Sacred Merit of Saukara and Mathurā Pilgrimage

Framed by Pṛthivī’s anxiety for ethical and ritual order, the chapter opens with her question about how “offense” (aparā

Adhyaya 180

The Glory of Dhruva-Tīrtha: Rules of Ancestor Libations and Śrāddha, and the Consequences of Lineage-Continuity

Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī an episode at Dhruva-Tīrtha to illustrate “pitṛ-tṛpti,” the satisfaction of the ancestors. Ki

Adhyaya 181

Ritual Procedure for Installing and Consecrating a Madhūka-Wood Icon

Framed as a teaching dialogue, Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), having heard of the superior efficacy of sacred places and their ri

Adhyaya 182

Installation of a Stone Image (Ritual Procedure for Consecration)

In dialogue, Varāha instructs Pṛthivī with a step-by-step ritual manual for the installation and consecration (sthāpana/

Adhyaya 183

Installation of a Clay Icon (Mṛnmayārcā) and the Ritual Protocol of Worship

In dialogue with Pṛthivī (Vasundharā), Varāha sets out a procedural guide for establishing and worshipping a clay icon (

Adhyaya 184

Installation of a Copper Icon (Tāmrārcā) and Its Consecratory Worship

Framed as Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī, this chapter sets out a step-by-step ritual manual for the pratiṣṭhā of a cop

Adhyaya 185

Installation of a Bronze (Kāṁsya) Icon (Arcā)

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī on the proper method for installing his bronze (kāṁsya) icon (arcā) in a household shrine, pres

Adhyaya 186

Ritual Procedure for Installing Silver and Gold Images, and the Special Status of Śālagrāma

Varāha instructs Pṛthivī in a stepwise rite for crafting and installing a silver image: proper material qualities, music

Adhyaya 187

Determination of the Origin and Procedure of the Ancestral Offering (Pitṛyajña/Śrāddha)

In dialogue, Pṛthivī (Dharaṇī) asks Varāha to disclose the hidden doctrine of pitṛyajña/śrāddha—its merits, method, orig

Adhyaya 188

Section on the Origin and Procedure of Piṇḍa-Rites and Śrāddha: Rules of Mourning Impurity (Aśauca)

In a didactic dialogue, Pṛthivī asks Varāha to explain aśauca (post-death impurity) and the proper performance of śrāddh

Adhyaya 189

Section on the Origin and Procedure of Piṇḍa-Rites (Funerary Offerings) and Donor–Recipient Purification

Pṛthivī asks Varāha about a procedural and ethical dilemma in śrāddha: what occurs when brāhmaṇas accept and eat preta-b

Adhyaya 190

Determinative Exposition on Śrāddha and the Pitṛyajña (Ancestral Offering)

In dialogue with Pṛthivī, Varāha explains the ritual logic and social-ethical constraints of śrāddha (ancestral rites).

Adhyaya 191

Section on the Origin of Madhuparka and the Procedure for Its Ritual Donation

After hearing many teachings on dharma, Pṛthivī again questions Varāha, asking for a “secret” clarification: what madhup

Adhyaya 192

Description of the Universal Peace-Recitation and the Madhuparka Rite

After hearing the origin, offering, and fruits of madhuparka, Pṛthivī—keeping disciplined vows—approaches Janārdana (Var

Adhyaya 193

Naciketas’ Journey to Yama’s Abode and the Eulogy of Truthfulness

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter offers an exemplary account: King Janamejaya, anxious about karmi

Adhyaya 194

The Return of Naciketas from Yama’s Abode: Inquiry into Death, Karma, and Dharmic Release

In a Purāṇic pedagogical frame (mapped onto the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue), the chapter recounts Naciketas’ return from Ya

Adhyaya 195

Description of Sinners Abiding in Yama’s Realm (Catalog of Transgressions and the Logic of Retribution)

Within the Varāha Purāṇa’s dialogic teaching—Varāha instructing Pṛthivī on dharma as an ethic that sustains the Earth—th

Adhyaya 196

Description of the City of Dharmarāja (Yama)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, Vaiśampāyana reports to the assembled ṛṣis Nāciketa’s account of Dharmarāja’s

Adhyaya 197

The Division of the Gates of Yama’s City and the Description of the Tribunal Hall

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter offers a didactic account of karmic adjudication, urging ethi

Adhyaya 198

Description of the Torments within the Cycle of Rebirth: Hymn to Yama and the Introduction to Citragupta’s Administration

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter gives a didactic report: a sage’s son meets Yama, ruler of Pretap

Adhyaya 199

Description of the Torments of Rebirth: The Asipatravana Punishment and the Mechanics of Karmic Retribution

In this adhyāya, set within Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī, the text gives a didactic catalogue of yātanās (penal torme

Adhyaya 200

Description of the Forms of Infernal Torments (Naraka Yātanās)

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter serves as an ethical warning by mapping the experiential “geograp

Adhyaya 201

The Battle between the Rākṣasas and Yama’s Attendant-Messengers

Set within the pedagogical dialogue of Varāha and Pṛthivī, this chapter recounts an episode of cosmic administration and

Adhyaya 202

Description of Infernal Punishments and the Ripening of Karmic Consequences

This adhyāya teaches karmavipāka—the ripening of karmic consequences—through a narrative of Naraka’s administration in t

Adhyaya 203

Enumeration and Description of Classes of Sins and Their Consequences

In the Purāṇic didactic frame of Varāha’s instruction to Pṛthivī, this chapter extends earlier lists by presenting an it

Adhyaya 204

Description of the Dispatching of Messengers (Yama’s Envoys) and Chitragupta’s Orders

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, a ṛṣi reports Chitragupta’s directives, setting forth an administrative-ethica

Adhyaya 205

Description of the Proclamation of Auspicious and Inauspicious Karmic Results

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya delivers a didactic report, voiced through a ṛṣi’s son, of wh

Adhyaya 206

Section on the Manifestation of the Fruits of Auspicious Deeds

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter is voiced as a ṛṣi’s report of Citragupta’s message on the po

Adhyaya 207

Section on the ‘Person’ who Entices Beings within the Cycle of Rebirth

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya embeds a didactic sub-dialogue: a ṛṣi’s son reports what he heard

Adhyaya 208

Narration of the Exemplum of the Pativratā (Devoted Wife)

Framed within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue, this chapter teaches dharma through a secondary exchange among Yama (Dharmarā

Adhyaya 209

Description of the Greatness of the Pativratā (Marital Fidelity and Ethical Devotion)

Within the Varāha Purāṇa’s didactic frame (Varāha–Pṛthivī), this adhyāya presents a subsidiary dialogue in which Nārada

Adhyaya 210

Inquiry into Moral Agency (Karma) and Practical Means for the Dissolution of Sin: the Śiśumāra Contemplation

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī pedagogical frame, this adhyāya unfolds as a dialogue in which Nārada questions Yama about

Adhyaya 211

Methods for the Removal of Sin and the Eulogy of Prabodhinī Ekādaśī/Dvādaśī

The chapter opens with Nārada addressing Dharmarāja (Yama), seeking welfare-giving instruction that extends even to Śūdr

Adhyaya 212

An Awakening Description within the Allegory of the Wheel of Saṃsāra

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this adhyāya serves as the reception and aftermath of the prior dharma nar

Adhyaya 213

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

Set within the Varāha Purāṇa’s purāṇic instruction (Varāha teaching Pṛthivī), this adhyāya contains an embedded dialogue

Adhyaya 214

The Glory of Gokarṇa: Description of Nandikeśvara’s Boon and the Assembly of Deities on Mount Muñjavat

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this tīrtha-centered chapter shows how divine boons and sacred landscapes upho

Adhyaya 215

Description of the Māhātmya of Gokarṇeśvara and Jaleśvara (Śaileśvara) in the Śleṣmātaka Forest

Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter proclaims the tīrtha-māhātmya of Gokarṇeśvara and Jaleśvara (Śail

Adhyaya 216

The Sacred Account of Gokarṇa, Śṛṅgeśvara, and Related Tīrthas

Set within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, this chapter explains the sacred origins of the landscape centered on Goka

Adhyaya 217

Eulogy of the Merits (Phalaśruti) of the Dharāṇī–Varāha Dialogue

This adhyāya serves as a formal phalaśruti, framing the Dharāṇī–Varāha saṃvāda as a pedagogical teaching whose hearing,

Adhyaya 218

Index of Topics and Reading Protocols (Anukramaṇikā Chapter)

This adhyāya serves as an anukramaṇikā, a structured table of contents that recapitulates the Varāha Purāṇa’s major narr