Varaha Purana 167.6 — Adhyaya 167, Shloka 6

The Glory of the Viśrānti Tīrtha and the Account of a Rākṣasa’s Liberation

Devanagari script

पापाचाररतो नित्यं पापसङ्गः सुदुर्मतिः ॥ गार्हस्थ्यधर्ममाश्रित्य मोहितो वर्त्तते सदा ॥

Transliteration

pāpācārarato nityaṃ pāpasaṅgaḥ sudurmatiḥ || gārhasthyadharmam āśritya mohito varttate sadā ||

Translation

«Siempre entregado a la conducta pecaminosa, asociado con el mal y de juicio muy torpe, él—engañado—continuó viviendo, amparándose en el “dharma de la vida doméstica” como pretexto».

Word by Word

• पाप-आचार-रतः: engaged in sinful conduct
• पाप-आचार-रतः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पापे आचारे रतः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: काल (Kāla/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• पाप-सङ्गः: one who keeps sinful company / sinful association
• पाप-सङ्गः: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पापस्य सङ्गः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सु-दुर्मतिः: very evil-minded
• सु-दुर्मतिः: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अतिशयेन दुर्मतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गार्हस्थ्य-धर्मम्: the householder’s dharma
• गार्हस्थ्य-धर्मम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (गार्हस्थ्यस्य धर्मः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having resorted to'

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वर्त्तते: conducts himself / behaves
• वर्त्तते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: काल (Kāla/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"indignant","key_question":"How does one misuse the respected banner of gārhasthya-dharma to mask pāpācāra, and what distinguishes true household dharma from hypocrisy?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"Gārhasthya is not a license for indulgence; it requires śauca, restraint, charity, worship, and right livelihood—otherwise it becomes a pretext for sin.","karmic_consequence":"Hypocritical ‘dharma-cover’ for sin intensifies culpability: social trust erodes, merit collapses, and heavier karmic results accrue than from ignorance alone."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"viveka (discernment)","core_concept":"Dharma is defined by inner intention and disciplined action, not by social labels (āśrama) used as camouflage.","practical_application":"Audit one’s life: company kept (saṅga), daily disciplines, and motivations; choose sat-saṅga and transparent accountability in household responsibilities."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social critique","Householder stage (gārhasthya)"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: urban-social setting / household sphere

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 167.7 (immediately clarifies true greatness of gārhasthya)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household façade that appears respectable, but inside are signs of vice and bad company; Varāha’s narration frames the contrast between outer dharma and inner corruption.","item_prompts":["household threshold with auspicious marks","shadowy figures (pāpa-saṅga)","concealed gambling/drinking motifs (symbolic)","brāhmaṇa with conflicted/defiant expression","Varāha as narrator above or aside"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: strong narrative contrast—bright auspicious doorway vs darker interior; expressive faces; Varāha in teaching posture indicating ‘mohita’ delusion.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate household arch with gold; inner vignette of vice stylized; Varāha with radiant halo emphasizing moral judgment; embossed details.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: nuanced interior scene; subtle symbolism for pāpācāra; refined depiction of social hypocrisy through gesture and composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: compact narrative panels; exterior purity vs interior disorder; delicate linework; moral storytelling tone."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"rebuking, clarifying","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"authoritative"}

Tags

• Dharma Discourse
• Purāṇic Ethics
• Āśrama System
• Classical Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It evidences a discourse where the āśrama system is treated as an ethical framework that can be upheld or misappropriated.

Which geographic location is identified?

No location is specified in this verse.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Householder status is not itself a moral guarantee; ethical value depends on conduct (ācāra) and associations (saṅga).