Varaha Purana 208.90 — Adhyaya 208, Shloka 90
Narration of the Exemplum of the Pativratā
Devoted Wife
किमर्थमिह तेजस्विंस्त्यक्त्वा मण्डलमागतः ॥ किं करोमि महातेजाः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः ॥
kim artham iha tejasviṁs tyaktvā maṇḍalam āgataḥ || kiṁ karomi mahātejāḥ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ
«لأيِّ غرضٍ، أيها المتألّق، جئتَ إلى هنا بعد أن تركتَ مَندَلاَكَ (maṇḍala)؟ وماذا ينبغي لي أن أفعل، أيها العظيمُ الإشراق، الذي تُجِلُّه جميعُ العوالم؟»
Unspecified (context suggests a king addressing Sūrya)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"Why has the radiant deity (implied Sūrya) come here leaving his usual sphere, and what action/duty should the king perform in response?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"Royal etiquette and rājadharma: when a universally revered deity/guest arrives, the king should inquire respectfully about purpose and seek instruction on proper action.","karmic_consequence":"Proper reception and obedience to divine counsel brings protection and prosperity; disrespect or negligence invites disorder and misfortune."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"devotion + duty (bhakti-informed rājadharma)","core_concept":"Human authority is subordinate to cosmic order; the right response to the divine is humility, inquiry, and readiness to act.","practical_application":"When confronted with extraordinary events, suspend ego, ask the right questions, and align decisions with higher principles rather than convenience."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Kingship","Dialogue literature"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: court/threshold of the kingdom; epiphanic encounter space
Related Themes: Dialogue-questions that initiate instruction sequences in Varāha Purāṇa (saṃvāda opening)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king with folded hands addresses a blazing, radiant Sūrya figure who has appeared unusually close—suggesting he has ‘left his sphere’.","item_prompts":["king in añjali-mudrā","Sūrya with halo and rays","chariot or horses hinted (optional)","courtiers shielding eyes","sky-light descending into court"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Sūrya with large circular prabhāmaṇḍala, stylized rays, king in reverent posture, strong reds/golds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: prominent gold-leaf halo and rays, embossed ornaments, Sūrya enthroned/chariot motif, king below in devotion.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined celestial glow, detailed textiles, balanced composition of divine radiance and human humility.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: luminous sky-wash, delicate Sūrya disc, expressive king, minimal court architecture to emphasize epiphany."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"awe-filled inquiry","suggested_raga":"Sūryakānt (if available) or Bhairav","pace":"madhyama","voice_tone":"reverent, slightly elevated, clear interrogative cadence"}
FAQs
It reflects Purāṇic courtly discourse where a ruler seeks guidance from a superior luminous figure, framing authority as responsive to counsel rather than absolute.
No explicit geographic toponym appears; “maṇḍala” is used as a cosmological/territorial sphere rather than a named place.
The verse models humility and duty: a leader asks what action is appropriate when encountering a higher authority or unexpected visitation.
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