Varaha Purana 208.39: Adhyaya 208, Shloka 39
Narration of the Exemplum of the Pativratā
Devoted Wife
Uttara Bhāga · Royal Household Assets (Retainers and animals)
देव्युवाच ॥ भृत्यानां तु सहस्राणि तव राजन्निवेशने ॥ अश्वानां च गजानां च सैरिभाणां तथैव च ।
devyuvāca || bhṛtyānāṃ tu sahasrāṇi tava rājann iveśane || aśvānāṃ ca gajānāṃ ca sairibhāṇāṃ tathaiva ca
devyuvAcha || bhRRityAnAM tu sahasrANi tava rAjanniveshane || ashvAnAM cha gajAnAM cha sairibhAnAM tathaiva cha
Die Königin sprach: „In deiner Residenz, o König, gibt es wahrlich Tausende von Dienern; ebenso Pferde, Elefanten und auch Büffel.“
Sandhi Notes
- देव्युवाच → devī + uvāca
- राजन्निवेशने → rājan + niveśane
- तथैव → tathā + eva
Devī / Rājñī (Queen)
Pragmatic, concerned about feasibility
Given the vast household resources—servants and many animals—why adopt/claim a minimal subsistence model, and why are these resources not being used to accomplish the king’s aims?
Ethical life balances restraint with responsibility: abundance creates obligations (to servants, animals, and subjects) that cannot be bypassed by private austerity alone.
Before adopting austerities, ensure dependents’ welfare and align personal discipline with institutional duties; practice ‘responsible simplicity’ rather than performative deprivation.
Royal duty includes effective governance and proper utilization of available manpower and resources; austerity must not negate responsibility toward dependents and the functioning of the realm/household.
Proper stewardship sustains order and welfare; neglect/mismanagement burdens dependents and destabilizes dharmic kingship (implied loss of merit and reputation).
Varāha Purāṇa 208.41-42 (king’s austerity-agrarian plan); Varāha Purāṇa 208.45 (continuation listing more animals and the pointed question)
FAQs
It presents an ‘inventory’ style description (servants and high-value animals), informative for reconstructing ideals of royal establishment and resource visibility in literature.
No location is named; the setting is the king’s “niveśana” (residence/establishment).
The ethical emphasis is on recognizing existing resources and responsibilities—wealth implies obligations toward dependents and proper management.
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