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 ||
Antaño, en el Kṛta Yuga, hubo un rey llamado Nṛga, de gran fortaleza. Con la mente apegada a la caza, vagó hacia un bosque terrible.
Varāha (default narrative voice, speaker not explicit in fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"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}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
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.
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