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
Kemudian Tuhan, Sang Pemberi anugerah, berfirman terus kepada ṛṣi itu: “Wahai yang terbaik antara para brāhmaṇa, pilihlah anugerah; wahai mahāmune, apa sahaja yang engkau inginkan.”
Śiva (Bhava/Śarva as the boon-giver; within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī narrative frame)
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":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}
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":"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
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.