Varaha Purana 32.9: Adhyaya 32, Shloka 9
Dharma as the Bull-Form: Soma’s Transgression and the Institution of the Thirteenth Lunar Day Observance
सोऽपायाद्भीषितस्तेन बलिना क्रूरकर्मणा । अरण्यं गहनं घोरमाविवेश तदा प्रभुः ॥ ३२.१० ॥
so 'pāyād bhīṣitas tena balinā krūrakarmaṇā | araṇyaṃ gahanaṃ ghoraṃ āviveśa tadā prabhuḥ || 32.10 ||
حينئذٍ، وقد أفزعه ذلك القويّ ذو الأفعال القاسية، انكفأ الربّ ودخل غابةً كثيفةً مهيبةً مرعبة.
Varāha (default narrative voice within Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue framework)
FAQs
It exemplifies a common Purāṇic narrative technique: characterizing moral contrast through epithets (e.g., 'krūrakarmaṇā') and advancing the plot via a transition into wilderness space, a motif widely used in Sanskrit itihāsa–purāṇa literature.
No specific toponym is given; the verse references a generic 'araṇya' (forest), described as 'gahana' (dense) and 'ghora' (dreadful), functioning as a literary setting rather than a uniquely identifiable site.
The verse frames cruelty ('krūra-karman') as a morally marked trait and depicts withdrawal from violent threat as a prudent response, emphasizing discernment and avoidance of destructive forces rather than valorizing conflict.
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