Varaha Purana 172.54 — Adhyaya 172, Shloka 54
The Harm of Destroying a Grove and the Merit of Tree-Planting as Pūrta-Dharma
गोकरणस्तु तदाचक्षे तत्सर्वं नृपतेः सुखी ॥ सर्वं तच्चात्मचरितं पूर्तधर्मस्य यत्फलम्
gokarṇas tu tad ācakṣe tat sarvaṃ nṛpateḥ sukhī || sarvaṃ tac cātmacaritaṃ pūrtadharmasya yat phalam
അപ്പോൾ സന്തുഷ്ടനായ ഗോകർണൻ ആ എല്ലാം രാജാവിനോട് അറിയിച്ചു. അതെല്ലാം അവന്റെ സ്വന്തം ചരിതവിവരണമായിരുന്നു—പൂർത്തധർമ്മം (ജനഹിത പുണ്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ) നൽകുന്ന ഫലം.
Varāha (default framework; speaker not explicit in fragment)
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":"Pūrta-dharma (public benefactions such as gardens, wells, tanks, temples, rest-houses) yields distinct fruit; reporting/attesting such acts to the patron-king completes the ethical transaction.","karmic_consequence":"Properly executed pūrta works generate enduring merit (puṇya) and social welfare; misappropriation or false reporting undermines merit and incurs demerit (implied)."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma-phala and social dharma","core_concept":"Merit is not only ritual (iṣṭa) but also civic/public (pūrta); ethical action integrates personal virtue with communal benefit.","practical_application":"Invest resources in public welfare works and maintain truthful documentation/communication with patrons and community to preserve integrity of merit."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Heritage works","Merit (phala)"]
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: dharmya (didactic)
Type: courtly-administrative setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 172 (pūrta-dharma phala thread continuing into ārāma-māhātmya)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Gokarṇa, serene and satisfied, narrates the completed deeds to the king; the scene emphasizes testimony, record, and the ‘fruit of pūrta-dharma’.","item_prompts":["Gokarṇa speaking with calm gesture","king seated listening attentively","scribe/scroll or palm-leaf record (optional)","symbols of public works (garden, well, tank) in background vignette"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: court tableau with strong profile faces; Gokarṇa in añjali then explanatory gesture; background panels showing garden/well as narrative inserts.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king on ornate throne with gold detailing; Gokarṇa presenting report; embossed motifs of garden/lotus-tank around frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant court interior, subdued colors; focus on facial serenity and didactic exchange; delicate depiction of palm-leaf manuscript.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate court scene with patterned textiles; small narrative vignettes of public works in corners; expressive storytelling posture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic narrative, calm assurance","suggested_raga":"Kalyani (or Yaman)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"measured, explanatory, steady"}
FAQs
It explicitly references pūrta-dharma, a key category in Indian ethical and legal traditions associated with community-benefiting infrastructure.
No specific place-name is given in this verse; it is thematic rather than geographic.
Valuing community-oriented meritorious actions and recognizing their stated outcomes within the narrative framework.
Ask anything about this verse
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