Varaha Purana 47.8 — Adhyaya 47, Shloka 8
The Rite of Śrāvaṇa Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī (Dāmodara Worship) and the Exemplum of King Nṛga
पुरा कृतयुगे राजा नृगो नाम महाबलः । बभ्राम स वनं घोरं मृगयासक्तमानसः ॥ ४७.८ ॥
purā kṛtayuge rājā nṛgo nāma mahābalaḥ | babhrāma sa vanaṃ ghoraṃ mṛgayāsaktamānasaḥ || 47.8 ||
Einst, im Kṛta-Yuga, gab es einen König namens Nṛga, von großer Kraft. Mit dem Geist an die Jagd gebunden, irrte er in einen schrecklichen Wald.
Varāha (default narrative voice, speaker not explicit in fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"King Nṛga later appears in Kṛṣṇa narrative traditions (notably Bhāgavata) as a moral exemplar; this verse begins that kind of exemplum but does not mention Kṛṣṇa here."}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics of desire and kingship","core_concept":"Attachment (āsakti) even in a powerful king can lead one into perilous paths; strength without restraint invites downfall.","practical_application":"Cultivate self-restraint and redirect compulsive pursuits (e.g., hunting/violence) toward dharmic duties and compassion."}
Subject Matter: ["Historical Narrative","Ethics","Kingship","Human–Nature Interaction"]
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Type: forest/wilderness
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 47.47.7 (promised prabhāva narrative begins)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mighty king Nṛga in Kṛta Yuga, armed for the hunt, entering a dark, intimidating forest; the atmosphere is ominous, with dense trees and shadowed paths.","item_prompts":["king with bow/quiver or hunting spear","dense forest with twisted trunks","dim light, mist","wild animals’ silhouettes","sense of movement/wandering"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized forest with rhythmic tree patterns, king in regal attire with weapon, dramatic but flat compositional depth, earthy greens and browns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate king figure with gold accents, forest rendered as decorative backdrop, strong central figure emphasis, jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: naturalistic forest detailing, refined royal costume, subtle chiaroscuro for ‘ghora’ mood, poised yet restless expression.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: narrative forest scene with layered hills/trees, delicate animals, expressive atmosphere, king slightly smaller within vast nature to show peril."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative, foreboding","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada (gravity)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"storytelling with restrained tension"}
FAQs
It introduces a Puranic exemplum centered on King Nṛga, using an archaic-yuga setting (Kṛta Yuga) to frame moral and social reflection typical of Purāṇic narrative historiography.
No specific named site is given here; the verse mentions a generic 'ghora vana' (a formidable forest), functioning as a narrative setting rather than a clearly identifiable historical geography.
Implicitly, it signals scrutiny of a ruler’s attachment (āsakti) to hunting—an attachment that can lead one into danger or moral complication—setting up an ethical evaluation in subsequent verses.
Ask anything about this verse
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