Varaha Purana 201.5: Adhyaya 201, Shloka 5
The Battle between the Rākṣasas and Yama’s Attendant-Messengers
अदूरे दृष्टवान्कञ्चित्पुरुषं स ह्यनाकृतिम् ॥ स तु वेगेन सम्प्राप्त इङ्गितज्ञो दुरात्मवान् ॥
adūre dṛṣṭavān kañcit puruṣaṃ sa hy anākṛtim || sa tu vegena samprāpta iṅgitajño durātmavān ||
அதிக தூரமல்லாமல் அவன் ஒரு மனிதனை கண்டான்; அவனுக்கு தெளிவான உருவம் இல்லை. அந்தத் துராத்மா, சைகைகளும் உள்ளக்கருத்தும் அறிந்தவன், வேகமாக ஓடி வந்து சேர்ந்தான்।
Varāha (default speaker framework; not explicit in fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"observer"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"Beware deceptive, ‘formless’ agents skilled in reading intentions; governance requires discernment against spies and wicked counselors.","karmic_consequence":"Discernment prevents sabotage and adharma; naivety empowers duṣṭa persons, leading to downfall and injustice."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"discernment (viveka)","core_concept":"Evil often appears ‘without clear form’—ambiguous, adaptable, and skilled at exploiting signals; clarity and steadiness counter manipulation.","practical_application":"Do not reveal intentions to untrusted actors; verify counsel, watch for manipulation, and cultivate calm observation before response."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Cosmology"]
Primary Rasa: bhayānaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: liminal encounter space (edge of court/battlefield)
Related Themes: Continuation of the conflict cycle: the rage (201.4) meets an ambiguous antagonist/agent (201.5).
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A shadowy, indistinct person—hard to define in form—rushes forward, eyes sharp with cunning, as the observer notices him nearby.","item_prompts":["blurred/indistinct silhouette","swift forward motion lines","cunning gaze","contrast between clarity (observer) and ambiguity (intruder)","edge-of-scene proximity (‘not far’)"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized ‘formless’ figure rendered with softened outlines and darker tones; dynamic rush posture; clear protagonist in brighter hues.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: dramatic contrast—golden court clarity vs. dark, minimally detailed intruder; motion emphasized with flowing drapery and sharp eyes.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: nuanced chiaroscuro for the ambiguous figure; fine facial detail for ‘iṅgita-jña’; restrained but tense composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: delicate landscape with a sudden dark figure entering; minimal lines to suggest ‘anakṛti’; emphasis on narrative surprise."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ominous, watchful","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"hushed intensity, precise articulation to convey suspense"}
FAQs
It reflects Purāṇic narrative techniques for portraying moral character through descriptors (e.g., durātmavān) and the motif of subtle perception (iṅgitajña), common in Dharmic-judicial storytelling.
No specific geographic location is named in this verse.
The verse frames ethical evaluation through inner disposition and intent, contrasting deceptive acuity (reading intentions) with moral deficiency.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
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 word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.