Varaha Purana 167.17 — Adhyaya 167, Shloka 17
The Glory of the Viśrānti Tīrtha and the Account of a Rākṣasa’s Liberation
दयां कुरु त्वं विप्रर्षे भोजनं मम दीयताम् ॥ ततोऽपृच्छदसौ विप्रो राक्षसं दारुणं प्रति ॥
dayāṃ kuru tvaṃ viprarṣe bhojanaṃ mama dīyatām || tato 'pṛcchad asau vipro rākṣasaṃ dāruṇaṃ prati ||
“Wahai resi mulia dalam kalangan brāhmaṇa, kasihanilah; berikanlah makanan kepadaku.” Lalu brāhmaṇa itu menyoal rākṣasa yang ganas itu.
Narrator (implicit) with embedded Rākṣasa speech
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"observer","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"What is true compassion and rightful ‘food’ (entitlement) when one being’s hunger implies violence against many?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"Compassion (dayā) must be guided by dharma: feeding the hungry is good, but not when it entails sanctioning harm to innocents; inquiry (praśna) is used to clarify rightful conduct.","karmic_consequence":"Dharma-aligned compassion yields merit and protection; misplaced compassion that enables violence incurs complicity and demerit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"discernment (viveka) in compassion","core_concept":"Dayā is not mere sentiment; it requires discrimination between relieving hunger and enabling adharma.","practical_application":"When asked for ‘compassion’ by someone demanding harmful outcomes, respond with questions that expose assumptions and redirect toward non-harm solutions."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Compassion discourse","Dialogue"]
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: forest-road confrontation
Related Themes: Varaha Purana 167.14-17 (setup: coercion, predation, protective vow, blame threat)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The rākṣasa pleads for compassion and food; the brāhmaṇa, facing the fierce being, begins a pointed ethical questioning.","item_prompts":["rākṣasa with supplicatory gesture despite ferocity","brāhmaṇa in questioning posture (hand slightly raised, attentive gaze)","contrast of sharp teeth vs pleading hands","caravan in background","campfire or twilight ambience"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: expressive contrast—rākṣasa fierce visage softened by pleading gesture; vipra poised in calm inquiry; warm firelight against dark forest.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: iconic two-figure dialogue, gold highlights on ornaments and halos, stylized background; emphasize gesture of supplication and inquiry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: nuanced facial expressions showing ‘fierce yet pleading’ rākṣasa; vipra’s composed compassion-with-discernment; detailed natural setting.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate conversational scene, delicate lines, subdued palette; focus on hands/gestures and the moral drama rather than supernatural spectacle."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"pleading turning to reflective inquiry","suggested_raga":"Kapi","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"softened on ‘dayāṃ kuru’, then inquisitive and clear as the vipra begins questioning"}
FAQs
It shows a typical Purāṇic pivot: from threat to inquiry, where moral reasoning is advanced through questioning and backstory.
None is specified here.
Compassion (dayā) is invoked even amid danger, suggesting that ethical dialogue can address the causes behind harmful conduct.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
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 audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.