Varaha Purana 177.4: Adhyaya 177, Shloka 4
The Curse of Sāmba and the Prescribed Observance of Sun-Worship
एतास्तु वरनार्यो वै क्रीडार्थं हि सुरेश्वरः । देवयोन्यो ददुस्तुभ्यं सहस्राणि च षोडश ॥
etāstu varanāryo vai krīḍārthaṃ hi sureśvaraḥ | devayonyo dadus tubhyaṃ sahasrāṇi ca ṣoḍaśa
Wahrlich, diese vortrefflichen Frauen, himmlischen Ursprungs, wurden dir gegeben, o Herr der Götter, zum Zwecke göttlichen Spiels und Genusses: sechzehntausend an der Zahl.
Unspecified (Nārada speaking within Varāha’s narrated discourse)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"krishna_connection":"Touches Kṛṣṇa’s queens/consorts motif (16,000), a well-known Kṛṣṇa narrative element though not specifically Mathurā-maṇḍala here."}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethical framing of enjoyment","core_concept":"Even ‘sport’ (krīḍā) in Purāṇic courts is narrated with an undercurrent of responsibility and potential moral consequence.","practical_application":"Do not treat relationships as mere consumption; recognize the karmic and social ripple of pleasure-seeking."}
Subject Matter: ["Historical Narrative","Ethics"]
Primary Rasa: śṛṅgāra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: royal court with celestial linkage
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 177 (continuation of counsel about Sāmba and women)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The speaker references a vast number of celestial-origin women associated with Kṛṣṇa’s courtly life, emphasizing scale and splendor.","item_prompts":["Kṛṣṇa with a retinue of queens","celestial motifs (apsaras-like adornment)","countless attendants suggested by repetition/pattern","palace terraces and banners"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: rhythmic rows of elegantly dressed women with stylized jewelry, Kṛṣṇa central, rich reds/greens, divine aura without overt sensuality.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-heavy depiction of Kṛṣṇa amid many queens, layered ornaments, symmetrical composition suggesting multitude.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined court tableau, emphasis on textiles and jewelry, subdued elegance over spectacle.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical palace garden/terrace, clusters of women in bright garments, Kṛṣṇa as calm center, airy spacing to imply large number."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"courtly and expansive","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"narrative, slightly elevated"}
FAQs
It preserves a widely circulating narrative motif (“sixteen thousand”) that appears across Purāṇic and later devotional corpora, useful for comparative textual studies.
No location is stated in this verse; the narrative context remains Dvārakā.
The verse functions primarily as narrative background; ethically, it sets the stage for discussions on desire, responsibility, and the management of social relations.
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