Varaha Purana 24.21 — Adhyaya 24, Shloka 21

The Birth of the Nāgas, Brahmā’s Curse, and the Pañcamī Observance

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । यदि नाम मया सृष्टा भवन्तः कुटिलाशयाः । ततः किं मनुजान् नित्यं भक्षयध्वं गतव्यथाः ॥ २४.२१ ॥

Transliteration

brahmovāca | yadi nāma mayā sṛṣṭā bhavantaḥ kuṭilāśayāḥ | tataḥ kiṃ manujān nityaṃ bhakṣayadhvaṃ gatavyathāḥ || 24.21 ||

Translation

Brahmā sprach: „Selbst wenn es wahr ist, dass ich euch mit krummer Gesinnung erschuf—was folgt daraus? Warum verschlingt ihr fortwährend die Menschen, als wäret ihr frei von Leid und Folge?“

Word by Word

• brahmā-uvāca: Brahmā said

• yadi: if

• nāma: indeed/for argument’s sake

• mayā: by me

• sṛṣṭāḥ: created

• bhavantaḥ: you (plural)

• kuṭila-āśayāḥ: having crooked intentions/devious dispositions

• tataḥ: then/from that

• kim: what?

• manujān: human beings

• nityam: always/constantly

• bhakṣayadhvam: you devour (2nd pl. middle/imperative-like usage)

• gata-vyathāḥ: having gone beyond pain/distress

• (implied) kutaḥ/kimartham: why/for what reason (sense in context).

Speaker

Brahmā

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","key_question":"If your origin is attributed to my creation, what justification does that give for continually devouring humans without fear of consequence?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Creation or innate disposition is not a moral license; predation on humans is blameworthy and invites accountability.","karmic_consequence":"Unchecked हिंसा (harm) accrues demerit and leads to suffering/retaliation and punitive outcomes; restraint aligns with order and reduces karmic burden."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics of agency","core_concept":"Moral responsibility is not nullified by origin, nature, or alleged predestination; intentional harm remains culpable.","practical_application":"Do not excuse wrongdoing as ‘inborn’ or ‘created so’; adopt restraint and accountability in social conduct."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cosmology","Moral Accountability"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic court/dialogue setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Varaha Purana 24.24.22-25 (boundary-setting compact and relocation)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Brahmā, seated in a cosmic assembly, admonishes the Nāgas for devouring humans, his hand raised in questioning reproach while the Nāgas appear defensive or sullen.","item_prompts":["Brahmā with four faces and kamaṇḍalu","assembly hall/cosmic lotus-seat","Nāgas with hoods folded in petition/defiance","gesture of admonition (tarjanī or open palm)","humans in the background as threatened victims"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Brahmā in warm ochres and greens, stylized Nāga hoods, expressive eyes, formal court composition, minimal depth, ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central Brahmā with gold-leaf aureole, embossed ornaments, Nāgas flanking in symmetrical layout, rich reds/greens, temple-like framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate linework, subdued jewel tones, Brahmā’s calm but stern expression, Nāgas rendered with refined scales, soft shading.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: lyrical court scene with pale background, slender figures, Nāga hoods as decorative arcs, emphasis on narrative gesture and facial emotion."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"admonitory and judicial","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"firm, interrogative, morally weighty"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Dialogue
• Dharma and Ethics
• Sanskrit Philology

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a common Purāṇic literary strategy: a creator-figure (here, Brahmā) addresses destructive beings to frame ethical responsibility within a cosmological narrative, emphasizing that origin does not justify ongoing harm.

Which geographic location is identified?

No geographic location is named in this verse; it is a moral-dialogic statement rather than a passage of sacred geography.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse questions the justification of continual violence against humans and implies moral accountability: even if one’s nature or origin is flawed, that does not legitimize persistent harmful action.