Varaha Purana 47.21 — Adhyaya 47, Shloka 21
The Rite of Śrāvaṇa Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī (Dāmodara Worship) and the Exemplum of King Nṛga
एकैव पाति चापत्सु राज्यं एकैव यच्छति । किं पुनर्द्वादशैतास्तु येनेन्द्रं न ददुः पदम् ॥ ४७.२१ ॥
ekaivā pāti cāpatsu rājyaṁ ekaivā yacchati | kiṁ punar dvādaśaitās tu yenendraṁ na daduḥ padam || 47.21 ||
Einer allein schützt das Reich in Zeiten der Not; einer allein gewährt auch seine Gaben. Um wie viel mehr also jene Zwölf — durch die selbst Indra nicht in die höchste Herrscherstellung eingesetzt wurde!
Varāha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"If one protector can secure a kingdom, what greater power accrues from the collective force of ‘twelve’ (dvādaśa)?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"Rājya is preserved and bestowed through singular decisive agency in crisis; collective/structured supports (here ‘twelve’) multiply that efficacy.","karmic_consequence":"Recognizing and instituting strong protective structures yields stability; ignoring them leads to fragility in calamity and loss of sovereignty."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Dvādaśī complex / ‘twelvefold’ protective power (dvādaśa)","tithi_month":"Dvādaśī (general); ‘twelve’ may imply twelve Dvādaśīs or a twelvefold observance cycle","promised_fruit":"Amplified protection and sovereignty-support beyond what a single aid can provide."}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"collective efficacy / saṅghāta-bala","core_concept":"Unity and structured multiplicity (twelvefold) magnify protective potency; dharma works through both singular resolve and systematic practice.","practical_application":"For governance: build robust institutions/advisory circles; for sādhana: keep regular cycles of observance rather than one-off acts."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Political Philosophy (Rājadharma)","Kingship and Governance"]
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: None
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 47.47.20 (Śrāvaṇa Dvādaśī as protector); Varāha Purāṇa 48.48.1 (dvadaśī worship procedure)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic scene: Varāha’s speaker-figure explains to a king the contrast between singular protection and the multiplied strength of ‘twelve’.","item_prompts":["teacher addressing king","symbolic ‘twelve’ motif: twelve lamps or twelve lunar marks","a shield over a small kingdom map","court setting with advisors hinted (institutional strength)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: calm instruction with symbolic twelve lamps in a row; earthy palette; emphasis on clarity and order.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: twelve golden lamps/medallions framing the teacher and king; ornate arch; gold-leaf emphasis on the ‘twelve’ symbolism.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined interior court; subtle symbolic twelve elements; balanced composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: minimal court scene with a poetic row of twelve diyas under a night sky; gentle narrative tone."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic, persuasive","suggested_raga":"Kalyāṇi (Yaman)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, reasoning, slightly emphatic on ‘dvādaśa’"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic rājadharma theme: the concentration of responsibility and merit in rulership, using proverbial reasoning and an allusion to Indra as a benchmark for sovereignty.
No geographic location is specified in this verse fragment; it is primarily a governance-ethics statement with a mythic reference to Indra.
The verse emphasizes accountability in leadership: protection during crisis and the distribution of benefits are attributed to the ruler, and it argues (by comparison) for the greater force of a coordinated group’s decision regarding sovereignty.
Ask anything about this verse
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