Varaha Purana 11.6: Adhyaya 11, Shloka 6
Hospitality at Gauramukha’s Hermitage and the Power of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel
राजाऽपि तस्थौ तद्भक्त्या स्वसहायैः समन्वितः । अक्षौहिण्यो बलस्यास्य पञ्चमात्रास्तदा स्थिताः । अयं च तापसः किं मे दास्यते भोजनं त्विह ॥ ११.६ ॥
rājā 'pi tasthau tadbhaktyā svasahāyaiḥ samanvitaḥ | akṣauhiṇyo balasyāsya pañcamātrās tadā sthitāḥ | ayaṃ ca tāpasaḥ kiṃ me dāsyate bhojanaṃ tv iha || 11.6 ||
राजापि तत्र तस्थौ तद्भक्त्या स्वसहायैः समन्वितः। तदा तस्य बलस्य पञ्चाक्षौहिण्योऽवस्थिताः। स च मनसि चिन्तयामास—अयं तापसः किमिह मे भोजनं दास्यति॥
Varāha (default narrative frame; specific speaker not explicit in the excerpt)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Atithi-dharma is foregrounded: a king approaches an ascetic’s hospitality, raising the ethical tension between royal power and the duty of honoring a guest/host appropriately.","karmic_consequence":"Honoring hospitality norms supports dharma and social harmony; suspicion, coercion, or discourtesy toward a tapasvin risks demerit and loss of royal merit/tejas."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma-ethics","core_concept":"Power does not nullify propriety; inner attitude (bhakti vs. suspicion) shapes dharmic outcomes in social encounters.","practical_application":"Approach holy persons and hosts with humility; do not let status or logistics (large retinue) become grounds for entitlement."}
Subject Matter: ["Kingship and Asceticism","Ethics","Courtly Narrative","Hospitality (Atithi-dharma)"]
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Hermitage/encampment vicinity
Related Themes: Varaha Purana 11.11.7-10 (continuation: the ascetic’s deliberation and Vishnu-smaraṇa)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king stands with attendants and a vast army contingent nearby, facing a simple ascetic setting; the king’s inward doubt is contrasted with outward devotion and military grandeur.","item_prompts":["king with crown and royal parasol","attendants and banners","distant massed troops (akṣauhiṇī suggestion)","simple hermitage hut/forest edge","ascetic figure in plain garments","contrast of opulence vs austerity"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal king with ornate jewelry and parasol, stylized forest-hermitage behind, rhythmic rows of soldiers in muted reds/ochres; emphasize moral tension through posture and gaze.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central king with gold-leaf ornaments and arch, attendants flanking; minimal hermitage elements; army suggested as patterned backdrop; highlight contrast of wealth vs simplicity with gilded vs matte areas.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined linework, soft shading; king’s contemplative expression, ascetic calm; detailed textiles and restrained army presence in background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical hillside/forest hermitage, bright costumes; king and ascetic in intimate narrative space, army as small clustered motif; emphasize storytelling clarity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative-dramatic with ethical undertone","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"firm, slightly suspenseful, ending on an introspective cadence"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative motif: the encounter between royal power (standing armies, attendants) and ascetic authority, often used to frame discussions on dharma, restraint, and social obligations such as hospitality.
No specific place-name appears in this verse; the setting is described situationally (the king remaining there with his forces) without a named sacred site or region.
The verse foregrounds the tension between status and expectation—hinting at atithi-dharma (hospitality) and the need to evaluate conduct beyond external power, as the king questions what an ascetic can offer in terms of sustenance.
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