Varaha Purana 16.14: Adhyaya 16, Shloka 14
The Account of Saramā: Indra’s Restoration after Loss of Sovereignty
ते च गावस्तु ता दृष्ट्वा शुक्रं ऊचुः पुरोहितम् । पश्वर्थं देवगा ब्रह्मंश्चर्यन्ते रक्षमानया । देवशून्या सरमया वद किं क्रियतेऽधुना ॥ १६.१४ ॥
te ca gāvas tu tā dṛṣṭvā śukram ūcuḥ purohitam | paśv-arthaṃ devagā brahmaṃś caryante rakṣamāṇayā | devaśūnyā saramayā vada kiṃ kriyate 'dhunā || 16.14 ||
Und jene Kühe, als sie sie sahen, sprachen zu Śukra, dem Hauspriester: „O Brahmane, um des Viehs willen wandeln die göttlichen Kühe unter ihrem Schutz umher. In dieser Saramā, der die Götter fehlen, sage, was jetzt zu tun ist.“
Gāvaḥ (the cows), addressing Śukra (purohita)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"observer","key_question":"देवशून्यायां सरमायां (देव-रक्षण-रहिते प्रदेशे) इदानीं किं कर्तव्यम्—गोरक्षणार्थं कः उपायः?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"गोरक्षणं धर्म्यं; संकटे पुरोहित-परामर्शेन यथोचितं कर्तव्यं निर्णीयते।","karmic_consequence":"गोरक्षणे पुण्य-कीर्ति-वृद्धिः; गो-उपेक्षायां पाप-प्रत्यवायः (धर्महानिः, अशुभफलप्राप्तिः)।"}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma-ethics","core_concept":"धर्मः केवलं बलात् न, अपि तु विवेक-परामर्श-आश्रितः; गो-रक्षा सामाजिक-धर्मस्य केन्द्रम्।","practical_application":"संकटे धर्म-निर्णयार्थं आचार्य/पुरोहित-परामर्शः; निर्बल-जीव-रक्षणे तत्परता।"}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cultural Heritage","Ritual Counsel","Protection of Animals"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Type: mythic locale/region
Related Themes: 16.16.15-18 (शुक्र-आदेशः, दैत्यैः हरणम्, सरमाया अन्वेषणम्)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"गावः पुरोहितं शुक्रं प्रति सभय-करुण-स्वरेण उपगम्य ‘किं कर्तव्यम्’ इति पृच्छन्ति; पृष्ठभूमौ देवशून्य-प्रदेश-भावः।","item_prompts":["गावः समूहः","शुक्रः पुरोहितः (दण्ड/कमण्डलु/यज्ञोपवीत)","उद्विग्न-मुद्रा","निर्जन/रक्षाहीन-प्रदेश-चिह्नानि"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"शुक्रं केसर-पीत-वस्त्रधारिणं, स्पष्ट-रेखाभिः, गावां करुण-दृष्टिः; पृष्ठभूमौ शुष्क-वन/निर्जन-भूमिः।","tanjore_prompt":"शुक्र-प्रतिमा मध्यस्थ, सुवर्ण-प्रभामण्डल-आभासः; अग्रे गावः अलङ्कृत-सीमित-रूपेण, स्वर्ण-आभरण-उच्चारणम्।","mysore_prompt":"मृदु-रङ्ग-छाया, सूक्ष्म-भाव-चित्रणं; गावां नेत्रेषु चिन्ता, शुक्रस्य विचार-मुद्रा।","pahari_prompt":"हिमालयी-शैली-सरल-रेखा; गो-समूहः अग्रे, पुरोहितः वृक्षच्छायायां, दूरं निर्जन-मार्गः।"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"anxious counsel-seeking","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"concerned, supplicatory"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic narrative setting where social order and welfare (here, protection of cattle) are negotiated through counsel to a purohita, illustrating the cultural centrality of pastoral economy and priestly arbitration in classical Sanskrit literature.
No specific geographic toponym is given in this verse; the focus is on a narrative scene involving cows, Śukra, and Saramā rather than a named pilgrimage site or region.
The verse foregrounds responsible protection of animals (cattle) and the seeking of informed guidance in moments of uncertainty—an ethic of stewardship and prudent decision-making within the narrative.
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