Varaha Purana 71.38: Adhyaya 71, Shloka 38
Vision of the Trimūrti in Rudra, the Gautama Curse, the Manifestation of the Godāvarī, and the Niḥśvāsa-saṃhitā Account
एवमुक्तस्तदा तैस्तु गौतमः किमिदं त्विति । गोवध्याकारणं मह्यं तावत् पश्यति गौतमः ॥ ७१.३८ ॥
evam uktas tadā tais tu gautamaḥ kim idaṃ tv iti | govadhyākāraṇaṃ mahyaṃ tāvat paśyati gautamaḥ || 71.38 ||
そのとき彼らにそう告げられて、ゴータマは「これはいったい何事か」と問うた。するとゴータマは、牝牛が殺された理由をその限りにおいて悟った。
Narrator (speaker not explicit in fragment; default narrative voice within Varāha Purāṇa frame)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","key_question":"What is this (kim idaṃ), and what is the cause behind the cow’s slaughter (govadhyā-kāraṇa)?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"Cow-slaughter is treated as a grave transgression whose cause must be discerned; recognition of the fault is the first step toward expiation.","karmic_consequence":"Unrepented/undiscerned violence leads to heavy demerit and social-ritual blame; discernment enables corrective action and restoration of dharma."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethical_inquiry","core_concept":"Before judgment or retaliation, a dharmic agent investigates causality (kāraṇa) and hidden agency behind apparent wrongdoing.","practical_application":"When confronted with harm, pause for inquiry—identify intent, deception, and context; then choose proportionate dharmic response."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Narrative Literature","Dharma discourse"]
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: narrative-ethical turning point at a sacred site
Related Themes: 71.71.39 (attribution to ṛṣis’ māyā; curse)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Gautama, just praised, turns suddenly alert and troubled, asking ‘What is this?’ as he perceives the hidden cause behind the cow’s death.","item_prompts":["Gautama with questioning gesture","subtle depiction of a fallen cow or signs of violence (kept restrained)","sages in background watching","a shift in atmosphere from celebration to tension","visual cue of ‘perception’ (aura/insight) around Gautama’s head"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dramatic facial expression change; strong eye emphasis; background sages; symbolic darkening of palette near the cow; dharma-tension conveyed through posture.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Gautama with gold halo; subdued depiction of the cow; contrast of bright praise elements with a darker ground to signal moral crisis.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: nuanced emotion; careful rendering of hands and eyes; minimal but clear narrative props (kamaṇḍalu, staff, cow).","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate, psychological scene; Gautama slightly turned; sparse landscape; emphasis on the question moment."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"inquiring and grave","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-medium","voice_tone":"lowered, contemplative, with a sharp interrogative lift on ‘kim idaṃ’"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative technique: ethical tension is introduced through an event (here, cow-slaughter) and then clarified through inquiry and disclosure, aligning storytelling with dharma-oriented explanation.
No geographic location is explicitly named in this verse fragment; it functions as a narrative transition focused on inquiry and causal understanding.
The verse foregrounds ethical causality: before judging an act, the narrative encourages inquiry into its cause (ākāraṇa), presenting understanding as a prerequisite for moral evaluation.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
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 word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.