Varaha Purana 213.46: Adhyaya 213, Shloka 46
The Glory of Gokarṇeśvara: Nandin’s Austerities and Śiva’s Boons
उवाच च वचः साक्षात्तमृषिं वरदः प्रभुः ॥ वरान्वृणीष्व विप्रेन्द्र यानिच्छसि महामुने
uvāca ca vacaḥ sākṣāt tamṛṣiṃ varadaḥ prabhuḥ || varān vṛṇīṣva viprendra yān icchasi mahāmune
അപ്പോൾ വരദായകനായ പ്രഭു ആ ഋഷിയോട് നേരിട്ട് പറഞ്ഞു—“ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രാ, ഹേ മഹാമുനേ, നിനക്കിഷ്ടമുള്ള വരങ്ങൾ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുക।”
Śiva (Bhava/Śarva as the boon-giver; within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī narrative frame)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"theology of grace and agency","core_concept":"Divine grace invites human intention: ‘choose what you desire’—boons arise from a meeting of devotion and will.","practical_application":"Clarify one’s aims before worship; align desires with dharma and liberation-oriented goals when approaching boon-granting divinity."}
Subject Matter: ["Dialogue","Boons and Merit","Narrative Theology"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: divine audience/boon-setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 213.52 (enumeration of possible boons)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śiva, pleased, turns to the ṛṣi and speaks directly, offering boons; the moment is intimate yet majestic.","item_prompts":["Śiva in varada posture or gentle speaking gesture","seer/ṛṣi attentive, hands folded","subtle radiance indicating divine approval","spatial closeness implied by ‘sākṣāt’"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Śiva slightly inclined toward the sage; expressive hand gesture; rich halo; the sage in attentive añjali; minimal background, temple-like framing.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Śiva enthroned with gold-leaf aura; varada-mudrā; sage below receiving words; ornate arch; emphasis on boon-bestowal.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined dialogue scene; soft facial expressions; emphasis on eye-contact and calm authority; balanced composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: conversational intimacy; Śiva and sage in a quiet grove/celestial court; delicate lines; gentle color gradients to show grace."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"uplifting, anticipatory","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, authoritative, benevolent"}
FAQs
It exemplifies the Purāṇic motif of “vara-pradāna,” where a hymn or austerity culminates in a deity offering boons—an important narrative structure across Purāṇas.
No location is mentioned; the verse is a dialogue cue initiating the boon-selection sequence.
It highlights deliberation and responsibility in desire: the recipient is invited to articulate aims, implying reflective choice rather than impulsive request.
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.