Varaha Purana 136.46 — Adhyaya 136, Shloka 46

A Sūtra-like Manual of Expiations for Ritual Transgressions

Devanagari script

एतत्ते कथितं भद्रे श्मशानं मे जुगुप्सितम् ॥ विना तु कृतसंस्कारो मम कर्मपरायणः ॥

Transliteration

etat te kathitaṁ bhadre śmaśānaṁ me jugupsitam || vinā tu kṛtasaṁskāro mama karmaparāyaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Это сказано тебе, о благостная: место кремации мне отвратительно. Но без совершения предписанных обрядов я остаюсь преданным исполнению долга.

Word by Word

• etat: this

• te: to you

• kathitam: told

• bhadre: O auspicious/gentle one

• śmaśānam: cremation-ground

• me: to me

• jugupsitam: detestable/repulsive

• vinā: without

• tu: however

• kṛta-saṁskāraḥ: having performed the rites/initiatory purifications

• mama: my

• karma-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to action/duty

Speaker

Varāha (default dialogue framework)

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Direct address to Bhū-devī (‘bhadre’), instructing her on ritual-ethical stance toward śmaśāna"}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"attentive, seeking clarity on dharma amid repulsive/impure settings","key_question":"How should one relate to the cremation-ground and still remain devoted to prescribed duty/saṃskāra?"}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"prayaschitta","instruction_summary":"Even if a place is repulsive/impure (śmaśāna), one must not abandon prescribed saṃskāras and karmic duties; proper rites govern engagement with impurity","karmic_consequence":"Neglect of saṃskāra/duty leads to ritual fault and continued impurity; adherence enables eligibility for purification and right order"}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"None"}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"karma-yoga / dharma-priority","core_concept":"Disgust or aversion does not license abandonment of dharma; right action (saṃskāra) is the means to restore order amid impurity","practical_application":"Perform obligatory rites even in unpleasant contexts; regulate contact with impurity through prescribed procedures rather than avoidance or indulgence"}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Practice","Cultural Heritage"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritually impure zone tied to funerary rites

Cross References

Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 136.52–54 (specific prāyaścitta regimen)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Varāha addresses Bhū-devī, explaining his aversion to the cremation-ground while affirming unwavering commitment to prescribed rites and duty.","item_prompts":["Varāha as teacher-figure","Bhū-devī listening respectfully","contrast of serene teaching space with distant cremation-ground imagery","gesture of instruction (mudrā)","scriptural/ritual implements hinted (kuśa, water-pot)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Varāha seated in teaching posture, Bhū-devī attentive; background shows stylized śmaśāna as a muted vignette; emphasis on didactic calm over dread.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented Varāha and Bhū-devī with gold halos; a small inset of cremation-ground to signify ‘juguptsitam’; strong iconographic clarity.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant courtly composition; Varāha’s instructive hand; Bhū-devī’s composed face; minimal background śmaśāna motif.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate dialogue scene; gentle landscape with a distant dark patch indicating śmaśāna; focus on expression and moral instruction."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic, restrained","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"firm, explanatory"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Dharma Discourse
• Purāṇic Ritualism

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It documents the tension between aversion to impurity and commitment to prescribed duty, a recurring theme in Dharma-oriented Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

The cremation-ground (śmaśāna) is mentioned generically; no specific locality is named in the excerpt.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Even when a setting is considered impure or undesirable, adherence to proper rites (saṁskāra) and duty (karma) is presented as the regulating principle.