Varaha Purana 8.14: Adhyaya 8, Shloka 14
Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices
Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna
सा अपि स्वल्पापराधेन भर्त्सिता तनुमध्यमा । पितुर्वेश्मगता बाला रोदमानाऽ मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ ८.१४ ॥
sā api svalpāparādhena bhartsitā tanumadhyamā | pitur veśma-gatā bālā rodamānā muhur muhuḥ || 8.14 ||
तीही—सडपातळ कटीची—थोड्याशा अपराधावरून धारेवर धरली जाऊन पित्याच्या घरी गेली; ती बाळी वारंवार रडत राहिली.
Varāha (default narrative framework; speaker not explicit in the 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":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"Narrative highlights the fragility of household harmony: disproportionate rebuke for minor fault can drive separation and suffering.","karmic_consequence":"Harshness (pāruṣya) breeds grief and family rupture; patience and proportional correction preserve dharma and peace (implied)."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"ethics of speech and compassion","core_concept":"Small faults met with excessive blame create duḥkha; dharma requires karuṇā and measured response.","practical_application":"Practice gentle correction; in conflict, seek counsel and safe support rather than escalating harm."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social Conduct","Narrative Literature"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: domestic-to-domestic transition
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 8.8.15 (father’s inquiry begins the explanatory dialogue)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The slender-waisted young woman leaves the in-laws’ home and reaches her father’s house, crying repeatedly, her posture collapsed with grief.","item_prompts":["young woman with tearful face","pathway between homes","father’s house doorway","disheveled veil or loosened hair (sign of distress)","hands wiping tears"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: expressive eyes with visible tears; rhythmic repetition suggested by multiple-step posture; warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: sorrowful central figure with gold-highlighted ornaments subdued by muted colors; architectural doorway with gold detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: delicate rendering of tears and fabric folds; subdued background; emphasis on emotional realism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical landscape path; small figure moving toward a home; poignant facial expression and flowing garments."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"lamenting, compassionate","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"soft, heavy with pathos"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative motif: interpersonal conflict and its emotional consequences, offering evidence for how Sanskrit narrative literature depicts domestic ethics and social relations.
No named geographic or pilgrimage location appears in this verse; it only mentions the father’s house (pitur veśma) as a domestic setting.
The verse foregrounds proportionality and consequence in social conduct—how even a minor fault (svalpāparādha) can lead to harsh rebuke and emotional distress—inviting reflection on restraint in speech and compassionate correction.
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.