Varaha Purana 25.17 — Adhyaya 25, Shloka 17
The Birth of Ahaṅkāra as Guha/Skanda and His Appointment as Divine Commander
देवा ऊचुः । नमाम सर्वे शरणार्थिनो वयं महेश्वरं त्र्यम्बकभूतभावनम् । उमापते विश्वपते मरुत्पते जगत्पते शङ्कर पाहि नः स्वयम् ॥ २५.१७ ॥
devā ūcuḥ | namāma sarve śaraṇārthino vayaṃ maheśvaraṃ tryambaka-bhūta-bhāvanam | umāpate viśvapate marutpate jagatpate śaṅkara pāhi naḥ svayam || 25.17 ||
देवा ऊचुः । नमाम सर्वे शरणार्थिनो वयं महेश्वरं त्र्यम्बकभूतभावनम् । उमापते विश्वपते मरुत्पते जगत्पते शङ्कर पाहि नः स्वयम् ॥
Devāḥ (the gods)
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":"devotee","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"How does one obtain direct protection (pāhi naḥ svayam) from the supreme refuge through śaraṇāgati and stuti?"}
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":"śaraṇāgati (theology of refuge)","core_concept":"Protection is sought by surrender: naming the deity’s universal sovereignties (viśvapati/jagatpati) establishes him as competent refuge; the plea ‘pāhi naḥ svayam’ asks for immediate, personal grace.","practical_application":"In prayer, combine (1) humility (namāmaḥ), (2) clear refuge-intent (śaraṇārthin), (3) precise epithets aligned to need, and (4) a direct request."}
Subject Matter: ["Theology (Puranic hymnody)","Protection and refuge (śaraṇāgati)","Divine epithets and liturgical address"]
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: sacred audience / stotra setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 25.25.16 (context: devas begin stotra)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Devas in full surrender posture chant a compact stotra to Śiva, addressing him by a cascade of epithets and begging direct protection.","item_prompts":["devas with folded hands","textual ribbon of epithets around Śiva (Tryambaka, Umāpati, Viśvapati)","Śiva’s calm protective stance (abhaya-mudrā)","offerings: flowers, incense, water"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: intense devotional faces, synchronized añjali, Śiva granting abhaya, epithets suggested as decorative calligraphic band.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Śiva with gold-leaf halo and abhaya, devas in symmetrical rows, ornate arch, embossed epithets on border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined stotra tableau, soft glow around Śiva, delicate rendering of abhaya-mudrā and offerings.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: lyrical prayer scene with minimal props, emphasis on gesture and expression, pale Kailāsa tones, epithets hinted in border motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"supplicatory devotion","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"deep, pleading yet steady"}
FAQs
It preserves a standard Purāṇic liturgical style in which the devas address a major deity through a sequence of epithets; such verses are important for tracing the shared hymnology and theological vocabulary across Purāṇic corpora.
No geographic toponym is explicitly named in this verse; it functions as a devotional address rather than a sacred-geography (tīrtha) reference.
The verse foregrounds the philosophical posture of seeking refuge (śaraṇārthin) and articulating responsibility through humility and supplication in the face of crisis.
Ask anything about this verse
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