Varaha Purana 47.17: Adhyaya 47, Shloka 17
The Rite of Śrāvaṇa Bright-Fortnight Dvādaśī (Dāmodara Worship) and the Exemplum of King Nṛga
अश्वमारुह्य स पुनर्वामदेवाश्रमं ययौ । तत्रापृच्छदृषिं भक्त्या का स्त्री के ते निपातिताः । एतत्कार्यमृषे मह्यं कथयस्व प्रसीद मे ॥ ४७.१७ ॥
aśvamāruhya sa punar vāmadevāśramaṃ yayau | tatrāpṛcchad ṛṣiṃ bhaktyā kā strī ke te nipātitāḥ | etat kāryam ṛṣe mahyaṃ kathayasva prasīda me || 47.17 ||
अश्वमारुह्य स पुनर्वामदेवाश्रमं ययौ । तत्र भक्त्या मुनिं पप्रच्छ—का स्त्री, के ते निपातिताः । एतत्कार्यं मम ब्रूहि, प्रसीद मे महर्षे ॥
Unspecified (narrative voice); the inquiring figure addresses a Ṛṣi (default dialogue frame: Varāha–Pṛthivī not explicit here)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"questioner","key_question":"Who was the woman who manifested, and who were the slain attackers—what is the hidden cause behind this event?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"Vāmadevāśrama (hermitage; not identified as Mathurā-site in this excerpt)"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"A ruler should seek counsel from sages after extraordinary events; humility and inquiry are part of righteous governance.","karmic_consequence":"Consulting the wise leads to right understanding and policy; ignoring counsel breeds confusion and repeated error."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"epistemology (pramāṇa via guru/ṛṣi)","core_concept":"Hidden causality (karma, vrata, divine grace) is understood through śāstra-informed sages; inquiry with bhakti is a virtue.","practical_application":"When outcomes seem inexplicable, seek qualified guidance; ask precise questions with humility."}
Subject Matter: ["Dialogue","Hermitage culture","Ethics","Inquiry and testimony"]
Primary Rasa: jijñāsā (inquiry)
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: āśrama (forest hermitage)
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 47.47.18 (Vāmadeva’s answer begins: past birth and dvādaśī)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king rides to Vāmadeva’s hermitage and bows/devoutly questions the sage seated in an ascetic setting.","item_prompts":["king on horseback arriving","thatched hermitage huts","sage Vāmadeva seated with kamaṇḍalu and matted hair","añjali gesture of devotion","forest grove atmosphere"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: āśrama grove with stylized trees; sage in yogic seat; king in regal attire dismounting with folded hands.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: sage enthroned on a simple seat with gold halo; king at lower register in añjali; ornate borders and gold accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant hermitage details, soft earth tones; expressive faces showing humility and calm authority.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: idyllic forest āśrama with delicate architecture; narrative intimacy between king and sage; pastel palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"reverent inquiry","suggested_raga":"Sri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"respectful, clear enunciation on questions"}
FAQs
It exemplifies a common Purāṇic narrative technique: a traveler or ruler seeks clarification from an ascetic authority at an āśrama, reflecting the cultural role of sages as custodians of memory, law, and explanation within Sanskrit literary tradition.
Vāmadevāśrama (“the hermitage of Vāmadeva”) is named as the setting. In many Purāṇic contexts, such āśramas function as sacralized locales rather than uniquely mappable sites; identifying a modern location requires cross-textual comparison with regional māhātmyas and local toponymy.
The verse foregrounds respectful inquiry (bhaktyā) and reliance on learned testimony: approaching a knowledgeable elder with humility to understand events and moral causality before acting.
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