Varaha Purana 7.13: Adhyaya 7, Shloka 13
The Sanctity of Gayā: Raibhya’s Encounter and Hymn to Viṣṇu
Gadādhara
ऋगत्वा गयामन्नदानैरनेकैः । ध्रुवं सुतस्ते भविता नृपीश सुसंप्रदाता सकलक्षितीशः ॥ ७.१३ ॥
ṛgatvā gayām annadānair anekaiḥ | dhruvaṃ sutas te bhavitā nṛpeśa susaṃpradātā sakalakṣitīśaḥ || 7.13 ||
ガヤーへ赴き、多くの食施を行えば、王の中の王よ、汝には必ずや子が生まれる。その子は惜しみなく施す者となり、全地を治める王となるであろう。
Varāha (default attribution; speaker not explicit in excerpt)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"dana","instruction_summary":"Go to Gayā and perform abundant anna-dāna (gifts of food) as a dharmic means to secure progeny and future royal virtue.","karmic_consequence":"Observance yields a son who becomes generous and fit to rule widely; neglect implies loss of this promised fruit and diminished merit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma-phala / ethical causality","core_concept":"Generosity (dāna), when anchored in a sacred context and right intention, shapes both personal destiny (progeny) and public virtue (righteous rulership).","practical_application":"Practice anna-dāna—feeding brāhmaṇas, guests, and the needy—especially during tīrtha-visitations; treat giving as character-formation, not transaction."}
Subject Matter: ["Sacred Geography","Ethics","Heritage Sites"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: vīra
Type: tīrtha
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 7.7.14: the king acts on this instruction at the tīrtha; 7.7.15: ensuing vision during piṇḍa-pradāna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Brāhmaṇas (or the narrator’s voice) prescribe a remedy: the king should go to Gayā and perform many gifts of food, ensuring the birth of a noble, generous son destined for wide rule.","item_prompts":["procession toward Gayā","food-gift distribution (anna-dāna) to brāhmaṇas/poor","riverbank setting","king offering bowls/platters","blessing gesture by brāhmaṇas","symbolic map-like hint of pilgrimage route"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: dynamic yet orderly anna-dāna scene at a tīrtha, warm palette, clear ritual-social hierarchy, emphasis on generosity and auspiciousness.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: king offering golden vessels of food, gold-leaf highlights, richly adorned donors/recipients, auspicious symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: elegant depiction of giving, soft expressions of gratitude, detailed food vessels and garments, calm sacred ambiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: narrative vignette with pilgrims and recipients, scenic riverbank, gentle colors, emphasis on compassionate giving."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"assuring, benedictory","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"confident and uplifting, stressing ‘dhruvam’ (assuredly)"}
FAQs
The verse reflects a Purāṇic pattern in which pilgrimage to a named tīrtha (here, Gayā) and the practice of dāna—specifically annadāna—are presented as culturally valued acts linked to royal virtue, social welfare, and dynastic continuity.
Gayā is identified; in historical geography it corresponds to the Gayā region in present-day Bihar (India), widely referenced in Sanskrit literature as a major pilgrimage and ritual landscape.
The verse foregrounds annadāna (the donation of food) as a key ethical practice associated with generosity and responsible rulership, framing social support and giving as markers of exemplary leadership.
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