Varaha Purana 6.38 — Adhyaya 6, Shloka 38
The Puṇḍarīkākṣapāraka Hymn and Puṣkara Tīrtha: The Account of King Vasu’s Release from Sin
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजा परं विस्मयमागतः । वरेण चन्दयामास तं व्याधं राजसत्तमः ॥ ६.३८ ॥
etac chrutvā vaco rājā paraṃ vismayam āgataḥ | vareṇa candayāmāsa taṃ vyādhaṃ rāja-sattamaḥ || 6.38 ||
ఈ మాటలు విని రాజు పరమ ఆశ్చర్యానికి లోనయ్యాడు; ఆపై రాజశ్రేష్ఠుడు ఆ వ్యాధుని వరం ఇచ్చి సంతృప్తిపరచాలని భావించాడు।
Narrator (not explicit in the fragment; default narrative voice within the Varāha–Pṛthivī framework)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"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":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"A righteous king, recognizing extraordinary dharma in a subject, responds with honor and a boon rather than coercion.","karmic_consequence":"Honoring dharma in others increases royal merit and stabilizes righteous rule; ignoring such virtue leads to adharma and loss of legitimacy."}
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":"ethics of recognition (dharma in unexpected forms)","core_concept":"True virtue may appear in socially marginal roles (a hunter); the wise respond with reverence and support.","practical_application":"Do not judge by varṇa/occupation alone; reward integrity and dharmic speech wherever found."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Kingship","Dialogue","Narrative Literature"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Narrative setting (royal encounter)
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: narrative episodes where kings learn dharma from unlikely teachers (general motif)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king, astonished, turns toward a humble hunter and offers a boon; the courtly setting contrasts with the hunter’s simplicity.","item_prompts":["king with crown and royal parasol","hunter with bow/quiver or simple attire","gesture of granting boon (varada-mudrā)","attendants and court pillars"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized royal court, expressive widened eyes for vismaya, hunter depicted with earthy tones, king in bright ornaments offering varada gesture.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-leaf throne and arch, king richly jeweled, hunter modest at lower register, dramatic boon-giving pose.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant palace interior, restrained astonishment on king’s face, detailed textiles, balanced composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: narrative vignette with delicate architecture, soft colors, emphasis on interpersonal exchange and surprise."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"Narrative wonder and moral uplift","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"madhyamā (moderate)","voice_tone":"clear, slightly heightened to convey astonishment"}
FAQs
It reflects a common Purāṇic narrative motif in which a ruler responds to unexpected wisdom or conduct from a socially marginal figure, illustrating ideals of kingship such as discernment, generosity, and recognition of merit.
No geographic location is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative transition describing the king’s reaction and intended reward.
The verse foregrounds a philosophical instruction about kingship: the exemplary ruler responds to worthy speech with humility and beneficence, expressed here through the act of offering a boon.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
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.