Varaha Purana 41.29 — Adhyaya 41, Shloka 29
Rite of the Varāha Dvādaśī Vow and an Exemplary Narrative on Expiation for Brahmin-Slaying
तान् दृष्ट्वा तु मृतान् राजा ब्राह्मणान् संहितव्रतान् । भयेन वेपमानस्तु देवराताश्रमं ययौ । तत्रापृच्छद् ब्रह्मवध्याः ममायाता महामुने ॥ ४१.२९ ॥
tān dṛṣṭvā tu mṛtān rājā brāhmaṇān saṁhitavratān | bhayena vepamānas tu devarātāśramaṁ yayau | tatrāpṛcchad brahmavadhyā mamāyātā mahāmune || 41.29 ||
সেই সংযত-ব্রতধারী ব্রাহ্মণদের মৃত দেখে রাজা ভয়ে কাঁপতে কাঁপতে দেবরাতের আশ্রমে গেলেন। সেখানে জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন—“হে মহামুনি, কি আমার উপর ব্রহ্মহত্যার পাপ এসে পড়েছে?”
Narrator (default framework: Varāha → Pṛthivī)
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":"Has the sin of brahmin-slaying (brahmahatyā) come upon me?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"Devarāta’s āśrama (not identified as Mathurā-site in given context)","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"One who fears brahmahatyā after harming brāhmaṇas should approach a qualified ṛṣi/ācārya in an āśrama and confess, seeking prescribed expiation.","karmic_consequence":"Confession and guided prāyaścitta mitigate/neutralize pāpa; denial or delay intensifies inner torment and karmic fruition."}
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":"moral psychology / dharma-restoration","core_concept":"Recognition of wrongdoing and seeking guidance is the first movement from adharma to dharma; fear becomes a catalyst for correction.","practical_application":"When harm occurs—intentional or accidental—seek counsel, confess plainly, and accept corrective discipline rather than rationalizing."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Royal Conduct","Dharma-śāstra motifs","Aśrama culture"]
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: āśrama (forest hermitage)
Related Themes: 41.41.28 (cause: killing brahmavādins); 41.41.30 (grief narration); 41.41.31 (promise of removal of pāpa)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king, shaken, approaches a tranquil hermitage and questions the sage about brahmahatyā; the contrast between royal fear and ascetic calm is central.","item_prompts":["king with lowered bow/head","trembling posture","sage Devarāta seated near fire/kuśa grass","simple hermitage hut","forest serenity","gesture of inquiry (añjali)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: sage in calm seated posture, king in añjali with anxious eyes, hermitage elements (agni-kuṇḍa, palm-leaf hut), deep green backdrop.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: sage with halo-like aura, gold accents on king’s crown subdued; hermitage rendered with ornate border; emphasis on sacred authority.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined expressions—king’s fear, sage’s compassion; detailed foliage and hut textures; warm light around the sage.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate forest āśrama scene, gentle colors, king kneeling, sage composed; narrative clarity with minimal props."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"penitent and questioning","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"tremulous for the king’s question, steady for narration"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic ethical motif: a ruler confronted by the consequences of harm to brāhmaṇas and seeking guidance at an āśrama, illustrating the literary linkage between kingship, moral anxiety, and ascetic counsel.
The verse specifies “Devarāta’s hermitage (Devarātāśrama).” The excerpt does not provide enough internal evidence to securely map it to a single modern location; it functions primarily as an āśrama setting within the narrative geography.
The verse foregrounds accountability and recourse to learned counsel: upon witnessing grievous harm, the ruler responds with fear and seeks clarification about culpability (brahmin-slaying), emphasizing ethical self-examination and consultation with sages.
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