Varaha Purana 172.25: Adhyaya 172, Shloka 25
The Harm of Destroying a Grove and the Merit of Tree-Planting as Pūrta-Dharma
इदानीं मलिना जाता मम शोकविवर्धनाः ॥ कथयध्वं ममात्मानमत्र हेतुमनन्तरम् ॥
idānīṃ malinā jātā mama śokavivardhanāḥ || kathayadhvaṃ mamātmānam atra hetum anantaram ||
ഇപ്പോൾ നിങ്ങൾ മലിനരായിരിക്കുന്നു; അതു എന്റെ ദുഃഖം വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ഇതിന്റെ ഉടൻ കാരണമെന്തെന്ന് എനിക്കു ഉടൻ പറയുക.
Gokarṇa
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","key_question":"What immediate cause has led to your present defilement/sullied state?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"When purity is lost (mala), one should ascertain the proximate cause (hetu) to apply the appropriate remedy and expiation.","karmic_consequence":"Correct diagnosis enables effective purification and restoration; ignoring causes perpetuates impurity and suffering."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"‘Mala’ (defilement) and its removal mirrors the Purāṇic theme of the Lord lifting the burden/impurity from Earth—restoration of sattva through right knowledge of causes.","vedantic_connection":"Mala as avidyā/kleśa at the psychological level; inquiry into hetu is viveka leading toward purification (śuddhi) and clarity (prasāda)."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"Causal inquiry in ethics","core_concept":"Suffering intensifies when the cause is unknown; immediate-cause analysis is the first step toward dharmic repair.","practical_application":"When harm or degradation is observed (social or ecological), ask for the direct cause and chain of responsibility before prescribing solutions."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ecological Narratives"]
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: cultural landscape
Related Themes: Leads into the eldest’s account of their former flourishing and protection (v.28)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Gokarṇa, saddened, points to the women’s sullied condition and urgently asks for the immediate cause.","item_prompts":["contrast: once-beautiful figures now dusty/torn garlands","Gokarṇa’s compassionate yet urgent expression","gesture indicating ‘tell me now’","fallen blossoms or withered leaves"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong contrast of bright floral motifs with dulled garments, expressive eyes showing karuṇā, dynamic hand gesture of inquiry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: ornate but slightly disordered floral jewelry to show ‘malina’, gold accents juxtaposed with muted tones, central questioning pose.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: subtle depiction of grime/withering, refined sorrow on faces, garden elements softly rendered.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: lyrical garden with drooping flowers, delicate sadness, emphasis on narrative emotion through faces and posture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"urgent-compassionate","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium-fast","voice_tone":"earnest, slightly intensified"}
FAQs
It marks the narrative pivot from description to etiological explanation (hetu), a common Purāṇic method for embedding moral and cultural-ecological lessons.
None is named; the focus is on the cause behind a changed condition.
Seek proximate causes with urgency but without hostility—an ethic of inquiry oriented toward understanding and remedy.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple 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.