Varaha Purana 170.77: Adhyaya 170, Shloka 77
The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship
including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics
शुकस्य वचनाद्यावत्पूजार्थमुपकल्पितम् ॥ न ददाति ततस्तत्र वनाच्छबर आगतः ॥
śukasya vacanād yāvat pūjārtham upakalpitam | na dadāti tatas tatra vanāc chabara āgataḥ ||
Obwohl auf Śukas Wort hin die Vorbereitungen zur Verehrung des Gastes getroffen waren, gab sie sie nicht dar. Da kam in eben diesem Augenblick der Śabara aus dem Wald dorthin.
Narrator
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"observer"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Failure or delay in providing the prepared hospitality to a worthy guest is a breach of atithi-dharma, creating narrative tension and moral fault.","karmic_consequence":"Neglect invites atithi-doṣa: loss of merit, social blame, and potential curse/inauspicious outcomes; prompt correction restores dharma."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics (dharma vs negligence)","core_concept":"Good intention/preparation is incomplete without actual giving; dharma is fulfilled in action (kriyā), not merely in plan.","practical_application":"When duty is recognized, execute it promptly; remove obstacles (stinginess, fear, prejudice) that block righteous action."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social Conduct","Narrative Tension"]
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa (moral discomfort)
Type: liminal zone (grāma-vanānta)
Related Themes: Varaha Purana 170.84 (command to honor); Varaha Purana 170.86 (re-enjoined hospitality)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Hospitality items are being arranged but withheld; at that moment a Śabara emerges from the forest path, shifting the scene’s power dynamics.","item_prompts":["half-prepared offerings on trays","hesitant host figure with turned-away gesture","forest path with trees","Śabara entering with rustic attire and hunting/foraging gear","Śuka watching with concern"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dense green forest border, Śabara in earthy tones, interior offerings in warm palette, expressive moral tension in faces.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: dramatic entrance of Śabara with gold accents on offerings, strong contrast between interior opulence and forest edge.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: nuanced expressions—hesitation and concern; detailed foliage and domestic objects.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: clear narrative split—household on one side, forest on the other; Śabara stepping in with brisk motion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative-suspense","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"slightly grave, emphasizing the lapse"}
FAQs
It shows how Purāṇic narratives dramatize ethical norms (hospitality) through moments of hesitation or refusal, creating moral tension.
A forest setting (vana) is indicated, but no specific toponym is provided.
Hospitality is expected to be enacted, not merely prepared; failure to ‘give’ what is due becomes narratively significant.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.