Varaha Purana 16.14: Adhyaya 16, Shloka 14
The Account of Saramā: Indra’s Restoration after Loss of Sovereignty
ते च गावस्तु ता दृष्ट्वा शुक्रं ऊचुः पुरोहितम् । पश्वर्थं देवगा ब्रह्मंश्चर्यन्ते रक्षमानया । देवशून्या सरमया वद किं क्रियतेऽधुना ॥ १६.१४ ॥
te ca gāvas tu tā dṛṣṭvā śukram ūcuḥ purohitam | paśv-arthaṃ devagā brahmaṃś caryante rakṣamāṇayā | devaśūnyā saramayā vada kiṃ kriyate 'dhunā || 16.14 ||
Dan lembu-lembu itu, setelah melihatnya, berkata kepada Śukra, pendeta keluarga: “Wahai Brahmana, demi kepentingan ternakan, lembu-lembu suci sedang merayau di bawah perlindungannya. Dalam Sarama ini—yang tanpa para dewa—katakanlah, apakah yang harus dilakukan sekarang?”
Gāvaḥ (the cows), addressing Śukra (purohita)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"observer","key_question":"देवशून्यायां सरमायां (देव-रक्षण-रहिते प्रदेशे) इदानीं किं कर्तव्यम्—गोरक्षणार्थं कः उपायः?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"गोरक्षणं धर्म्यं; संकटे पुरोहित-परामर्शेन यथोचितं कर्तव्यं निर्णीयते।","karmic_consequence":"गोरक्षणे पुण्य-कीर्ति-वृद्धिः; गो-उपेक्षायां पाप-प्रत्यवायः (धर्महानिः, अशुभफलप्राप्तिः)।"}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma-ethics","core_concept":"धर्मः केवलं बलात् न, अपि तु विवेक-परामर्श-आश्रितः; गो-रक्षा सामाजिक-धर्मस्य केन्द्रम्।","practical_application":"संकटे धर्म-निर्णयार्थं आचार्य/पुरोहित-परामर्शः; निर्बल-जीव-रक्षणे तत्परता।"}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cultural Heritage","Ritual Counsel","Protection of Animals"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Type: mythic locale/region
Related Themes: 16.16.15-18 (शुक्र-आदेशः, दैत्यैः हरणम्, सरमाया अन्वेषणम्)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"गावः पुरोहितं शुक्रं प्रति सभय-करुण-स्वरेण उपगम्य ‘किं कर्तव्यम्’ इति पृच्छन्ति; पृष्ठभूमौ देवशून्य-प्रदेश-भावः।","item_prompts":["गावः समूहः","शुक्रः पुरोहितः (दण्ड/कमण्डलु/यज्ञोपवीत)","उद्विग्न-मुद्रा","निर्जन/रक्षाहीन-प्रदेश-चिह्नानि"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"शुक्रं केसर-पीत-वस्त्रधारिणं, स्पष्ट-रेखाभिः, गावां करुण-दृष्टिः; पृष्ठभूमौ शुष्क-वन/निर्जन-भूमिः।","tanjore_prompt":"शुक्र-प्रतिमा मध्यस्थ, सुवर्ण-प्रभामण्डल-आभासः; अग्रे गावः अलङ्कृत-सीमित-रूपेण, स्वर्ण-आभरण-उच्चारणम्।","mysore_prompt":"मृदु-रङ्ग-छाया, सूक्ष्म-भाव-चित्रणं; गावां नेत्रेषु चिन्ता, शुक्रस्य विचार-मुद्रा।","pahari_prompt":"हिमालयी-शैली-सरल-रेखा; गो-समूहः अग्रे, पुरोहितः वृक्षच्छायायां, दूरं निर्जन-मार्गः।"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"anxious counsel-seeking","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"concerned, supplicatory"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic narrative setting where social order and welfare (here, protection of cattle) are negotiated through counsel to a purohita, illustrating the cultural centrality of pastoral economy and priestly arbitration in classical Sanskrit literature.
No specific geographic toponym is given in this verse; the focus is on a narrative scene involving cows, Śukra, and Saramā rather than a named pilgrimage site or region.
The verse foregrounds responsible protection of animals (cattle) and the seeking of informed guidance in moments of uncertainty—an ethic of stewardship and prudent decision-making within the narrative.
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