Varaha Purana 170.89 — Adhyaya 170, Shloka 89
The Birth of Gokarṇa and the Fruits of Śiva Worship
including the Śukodara Parrot Episode and Hospitality Ethics
जातकर्म तथा चैव नामकर्म चकार च ॥ गोकार्णं नाम तस्यैव पिता चक्रे निरूप्य च
jātakarma tathā caiva nāmakarma cakāra ca || gokarṇaṃ nāma tasyaiva pitā cakre nirūpya ca
Beliau melaksanakan upacara kelahiran (jātakarma) dan juga upacara penamaan (nāmakarma); lalu ayahnya, setelah pertimbangan yang wajar, mengurniakan nama “Gokarṇa” kepadanya.
Varāha (default narrative frame)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"Gokarṇa (as a personal name here; later/elsewhere also a tīrtha-name)","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"Perform essential saṃskāras—jātakarma and nāmakarma—properly; the father bestows a considered name as part of dharmic household duty.","karmic_consequence":"Proper saṃskāras stabilize lineage, identity, and auspiciousness; omission/neglect is treated as dharma-lopa leading to social and spiritual disorder (implied)."}
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":"dharma of embodiment","core_concept":"Human life is ritually ‘formed’ through saṃskāras; naming is not mere convention but a dharmic act shaping identity and destiny.","practical_application":"Observe key saṃskāras with care and deliberation; choose names with meaning and auspicious resonance, aligning family life with dharma."}
Subject Matter: ["Ritual Culture","Lineage and Naming","Social Customs"]
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: shraddha
Type: gṛha/saṃskāra venue
Related Themes: Narrative lead-in 170.170.1 (transmission of the sage’s words)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A father performs the newborn’s jātakarma and nāmakarma, then solemnly bestows the name ‘Gokarṇa’ after due consideration.","item_prompts":["newborn on cradle/cloth","father with ritual spoon and small fire/lamps","protective threads/tilaka","elder/family witnesses","inscription/banner with the name ‘Gokarṇa’"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: warm domestic ritual scene; stylized fire-lamp glow; father in traditional attire performing saṃskāra gestures; emphasis on auspicious reds and golds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-leaf highlights on ritual vessels and ornaments; ornate cradle; central focus on naming moment with decorative script panel ‘Gokarṇa’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed ritual implements; soft chiaroscuro; dignified father figure; serene family presence; emphasis on precision of rite.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: tender family tableau; minimal ritual fire; delicate textiles; lyrical depiction of naming as a quiet, auspicious moment."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ritual-chronicle, steady and auspicious","suggested_raga":"Bilahari","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"clear, formal, gently celebratory on ‘Gokarṇaṃ nāma’"}
FAQs
It preserves a narrative reflection of saṃskāra practices (life-cycle rites), especially jātakarma and nāmakarma, which are key markers of social and ritual identity in Sanskrit literature.
No explicit location is named here; “Gokarṇa” functions as a personal name in this verse rather than a confirmed place-reference.
The verse foregrounds orderly social responsibility—parents formally acknowledging and integrating a child into community life through recognized rites.
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