Varaha Purana 171.33 — Adhyaya 171, Shloka 33
Śuka’s Ocean Voyage: Adverse Winds, Arrival at a Viṣṇu Shrine, and Aid from the Jaṭāyu Birds
तारयामास वेगेन गत्वा पृष्ठं जटायुषः ॥ स ययौ पर्वतं तीर्त्वा क्वचिन्नाभिसमं जलम्
tārayāmāsa vegena gatvā pṛṣṭhaṃ jaṭāyuṣaḥ || sa yayau parvataṃ tīrtvā kvacin nābhisamaṃ jalam
स वेगेन तारयामास, गत्वा जटायुषः पृष्ठम्। स पर्वतं तीर्त्वा ययौ, क्वचिद् नाभिसमं जलम् आप॥
Varāha (default framework; speaker not explicit in excerpt)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","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":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"‘Tārayāmāsa’ (he caused to cross/delivered) echoes Varāha’s salvific function: the rescuer bears others upon his ‘back’ (pṛṣṭha), paralleling the cosmic act of supporting Earth and enabling beings to cross peril (saṃsāra/āpah).","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Not explicit; the ‘back’ as support recalls the cosmic bearer motif; the measured water depth (‘nābhi-sama’) suggests controlled passage through the waters rather than chaotic flood.","vedantic_connection":"Deliverance (tāraṇa) as grace-enabled crossing; the stable support (adhiṣṭhāna) allows safe movement through unstable conditions."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"narrative-exemplum","core_concept":"True protection is effective, swift, and embodied—carrying others through danger and choosing the safest passage.","practical_application":"In guiding others, select routes that reduce risk (shallow crossings), and provide direct support (bearing/escorting) when needed."}
Subject Matter: ["Geography","Heritage Sites","Pilgrimage"]
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: mythic-heroic travel landscape (mountain + river shallows)
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 171.32–35 (refuge request, guidance, crossing, non-harm)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A swift rescue: the deliverer reaches Jaṭāyu’s back, bears someone across; then the party traverses a mountain and arrives at a shallow, navel-deep stretch of water.","item_prompts":["Jaṭāyu (majestic bird) with broad back","rescued figure being carried/assisted","mountain pass in background","shallow water indicated by navel-level marker","sense of speed and competence"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: heroic Jaṭāyu with ornate wings; dynamic diagonal composition showing mountain and water in panels; strong vīra bhāva.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central Jaṭāyu rendered iconically with gold accents; mountain and water as decorative backdrops; emphasis on ‘deliverance’ moment.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: balanced composition—Jaṭāyu in foreground, mountain midground, shallow water beyond; refined detailing of feathers and landscape.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: narrative landscape with sequential scenes (carry → mountain → shallow ford); bright, crisp contours and storytelling clarity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"heroic, wondrous","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium-fast","voice_tone":"energetic, elevated, with emphatic cadence on ‘tārayāmāsa’ and ‘vegena’"}
FAQs
It reflects Purāṇic travel-narrative conventions used to map sacred landscapes and convey itineraries associated with tīrtha traditions.
No single place-name is stated in this verse; it functions as a transitional description within a broader tīrtha itinerary (later verses indicate a Mathurā/Gokarṇa context).
Implicitly, it emphasizes purposeful movement toward auspicious places and the motif of “deliverance/crossing over” (tāraṇa) as a valued cultural ideal.
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.