Varaha Purana 62.17 — Adhyaya 62, Shloka 17
Instruction on the ‘Health Vow’ and the Rite of Solar Worship
कथं ते राजशार्दूल तव देहस्य शासनम् । इदानीमेव किं कार्यं तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥ ६२.१७ ॥
kathaṃ te rājaśārdūla tava dehasya śāsanam | idānīm eva kiṃ kāryaṃ tan mamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ || 62.17 ||
„O Tiger unter den Königen, wie wird die Herrschaft, die Zucht deines Leibes bewahrt? Und was ist in diesem Augenblick zu tun? Sage es mir, da ich dich frage.“
Pṛthivī (default per dialogue framework; explicit speaker not given in fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","bhu_devi_state":"curious; seeking practical guidance on self-governance and immediate duty","key_question":"How is bodily self-discipline maintained, and what should be done right now (immediate dharma/kartavya)?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"Self-governance (śāsana of the body/indriyas) is foundational to ethical rule; discern immediate duty (kārya) before action.","karmic_consequence":"Mastery of self supports righteous governance and merit; lack of discipline leads to adharma and consequent suffering/decline."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics of agency (kartavya-viveka)","core_concept":"Indriya-nigraha and deha-śāsana as prerequisites for dharma; present-moment discernment of right action.","practical_application":"Adopt daily restraint (food, speech, anger), and decide actions by dharma-first evaluation rather than impulse or expediency."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Governance","Discipline (self-regulation)"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: jijñāsā (inquisitive)
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa dialogue framework of Bhū-devī’s questioning and dharma-upadeśa (general)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bhū-devī (or a questioning interlocutor) respectfully asks a ‘tiger among kings’ about bodily discipline and immediate duty; a calm court/assembly atmosphere.","item_prompts":["seated king on throne","questioner with folded hands or attentive posture","palm-leaf manuscript or counsel setting","austere ambience suggesting dharma discourse"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: warm earthy palette; dignified king seated, interlocutor in respectful stance; minimal background with temple-like pillars; emphasis on serene faces and hand gestures (mudrā).","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: king with ornate crown and jewelry, gold-leaf throne arch; interlocutor in simpler attire; inscriptions-like border; focus on regal yet contemplative mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined linework, soft shading; courtly interior; subtle expressions of inquiry and composure; restrained ornamentation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: intimate dialogue in a pavilion; delicate profiles; cool greens/blues; emphasis on narrative gesture—questioner leaning slightly forward, king attentive."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic and contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"clear, instructive, with gentle emphasis on interrogatives (katham, kim kāryam)."}
FAQs
The verse reflects a common Purāṇic pedagogical mode: ethical and practical inquiry framed as dialogue, here focusing on self-governance (śāsana) and immediate duty (kārya), themes central to classical South Asian political and moral literature.
No geographic location is named in this verse fragment; it is framed as a direct question within a dialogue context.
The verse foregrounds disciplined governance of the body (deha-śāsana) and clarity about present duty—an inquiry that situates ethical action in self-regulation and timely decision-making.
Ask anything about this verse
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.