Varaha Purana 62.20: Adhyaya 62, Shloka 20
Instruction on the ‘Health Vow’ and the Rite of Solar Worship
एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा वेपमानः कृताञ्जलिः । पप्रच्छ साध्वहं विप्र कथं वा असाध्वहं मुने । कथं च कुष्ठं मे जातमेतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ ६२.२० ॥
evam uktas tadā rājā vepamānaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ | papraccha sādhv ahaṃ vipra kathaṃ vā asādhv ahaṃ mune | kathaṃ ca kuṣṭhaṃ me jātam etan me vaktum arhasi || 62.20 ||
So angesprochen, fragte der König, zitternd und mit gefalteten Händen: „O Brahmane, worin habe ich recht gehandelt und worin unrecht, o Weiser? Und wie ist diese Lepra in mir entstanden? Bitte erkläre es mir.“
The King (unnamed in this excerpt)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","key_question":"In what ways did I act rightly or wrongly, and what is the specific cause of my leprosy?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"When afflicted, one should humbly inquire into one’s dharma/adharma and seek the causal account from a qualified sage as the first step toward expiation.","karmic_consequence":"Humble inquiry and acceptance open the path to remedy and purification; denial/arrogance prolongs suffering and karmic bondage."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"moral introspection and guru-śaraṇāgati","core_concept":"Suffering becomes instructive when met with humility; discernment of right/wrong requires truthful self-inquiry and guidance.","practical_application":"Respond to setbacks by reviewing conduct (speech, violence, greed, disrespect), approaching elders/teachers, and undertaking corrective disciplines."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Karma and Consequence","Dialogue Literature"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: jijñāsā (inquisitive)
Related Themes: Leads into Vasiṣṭha’s explanation of the Brahma-born lotus and its significance (next verse)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king, trembling, stands with folded hands before the sage, asking how he was righteous or unrighteous and why leprosy arose.","item_prompts":["king with añjali-mudrā","visible trembling posture (slight bend, anxious eyes)","sage seated calmly","simple ascetic implements (kamaṇḍalu, daṇḍa)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: strong gesture language—king’s añjali, sage’s composed gaze; earthy palette; emphasis on repentance and instruction.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king in rich attire but humbled; sage luminous; gold leaf used sparingly to keep penitential mood; ornate frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: delicate facial expressions; soft background; focus on psychological moment—fear and sincerity in the king’s eyes.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: quiet hermitage scene; king at threshold with folded hands; sage inside pavilion; cool tones conveying vulnerability."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"penitential, earnest","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow-medium","voice_tone":"pleading yet clear, with emphasis on ‘kathaṃ sādhu… kathaṃ asādhu… kathaṃ ca kuṣṭham’."}
FAQs
It exemplifies a common Purāṇic narrative pattern: a ruler seeks a learned ascetic’s explanation of moral causality (right/wrong conduct) and its perceived consequences, reflecting didactic dialogue as a literary method.
No geographic location is named in this verse; the focus is on ethical inquiry and the cause of an affliction.
The verse foregrounds reflective accountability: the ruler asks for a reasoned assessment of his conduct (sādhu/asādhu) and requests an explanation rather than asserting certainty, framing ethics as inquiry guided by learned counsel.
Ask anything about this verse
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