Varaha Purana 175.8 — Adhyaya 175, Shloka 8
The Sanctity of the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā Pilgrimage-Ford and the Account of the Brahmin Vasu’s Daughter
तत्र स्थितो द्वादशाब्दव्रती सङ्गविवर्जितः॥ पक्षाहारी च फलभुग्दर्शे वै पौर्णमासिके॥
tatra sthito dvādaśābdavratī saṅgavivarjitaḥ || pakṣāhārī ca phalabhug darśe vai paurṇamāsike
Tinggal di sana, ia menjalankan tapa-brata dua belas tahun, bebas dari pergaulan duniawi. Ia makan hanya sekali tiap dua pekan, hidup dari buah-buahan, serta menunaikan upacara Amāvasyā dan Paurṇimā (bulan baru dan purnama).
Varāha (default narrative voice) to Pṛthivī (inquirer framework)
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":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"A long-term ascetic regimen is described: twelve-year vrata with solitude (saṅga-vivarjana), fortnightly single meal, fruit-diet, and observance of darśa-paurṇamāsa rites.","karmic_consequence":"Such restraint and ritual regularity are implied to yield purification, heightened tapas, and spiritual attainment; indulgent association and dietary laxity weaken vrata and its fruit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Dvādaśābda-vrata (twelve-year vow) with pakṣāhāra and darśa-paurṇamāsa observance","tithi_month":"Continuous for twelve years; ritual focus on each new-moon (darśa/amāvāsyā) and full-moon (paurṇamāsa/pūrṇimā)","promised_fruit":"Tapas-siddhi: deep purification, steadiness of mind, and eligibility for higher spiritual insight/merit through sustained austerity."}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"yoga of restraint (niyama)","core_concept":"Freedom from attachment (saṅga-vivarjana) and measured consumption align the practitioner with cosmic rhythms (new/full moon), converting time into sādhana.","practical_application":"Adopt scalable austerities: reduce social distraction, regulate diet, and keep a consistent monthly spiritual schedule (amāvāsyā/pūrṇimā practices)."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ascetic Discipline","Ritual Observance"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: vīra
Type: tīrtha / āśrama vicinity
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: nearby passages on tīrtha residence, vows, and ritual observances (adhyāya 175 sequence)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic practitioner living in seclusion near a sacred spot, eating sparingly (fruit) and performing new-moon and full-moon rites over a long span of years.","item_prompts":["solitary ascetic","fruit offerings","simple leaf-plate","moon phases (new/full) in sky motif","small altar/fire for rites","minimal hut or open forest clearing"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Ascetic in a quiet grove, stylized moon symbols, ritual fire, restrained palette emphasizing tapas and stillness.","tanjore_prompt":"Central ascetic figure with gold accents on moon disc and ritual vessels, ornate yet austere composition balancing renunciation and sanctity.","mysore_prompt":"Classical ascetic portrait with detailed ritual setup, soft lunar lighting, calm realism.","pahari_prompt":"Minimalist hermitage in a serene landscape, prominent moon in sky, delicate depiction of austerity and silence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"austere and meditative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"low, steady, inward"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic ideal of long-term vrata practice, presenting disciplined fasting and calendrical rites (new- and full-moon observances) as markers of ascetic credibility within narrative literature.
No explicit location is named in this verse; it situates the subject 'there' (tatra), with the broader passage later indicating Himalayan/Badarī contexts.
The verse foregrounds restraint and non-attachment (saṅgavivarjitaḥ) alongside regulated consumption and ritual regularity as a model of self-governance.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
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.