Varaha Purana 155.38: Adhyaya 155, Shloka 38
The Efficacy and Sacred Merit of Akrūra Tīrtha
तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं यद्यहं नागमे पुनः ॥ राजयाजकयाज्याश्च ये च वै ग्रामयाजकाः ॥
tena pāpena lipye’haṃ yady ahaṃ nāgame punaḥ || rājayājakayājyāś ca ye ca vai grāmayājakāḥ ||
หากข้าพเจ้าไม่กลับมาอีก ขอให้ข้าพเจ้าถูกเปื้อนด้วยบาปนั้น—ดุจพราหมณ์ปุโรหิตแห่งพระราชาและผู้ประกอบยัญพิธีของเขา ตลอดจนพราหมณ์ผู้เป็นปุโรหิตประจำหมู่บ้านทั้งหลาย
Sudhana (implied continuation of oath-formula; speaker not explicitly marked here)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"An oath-formula invokes the demerit associated with ritual specialists (royal and village priests/officiants) as a self-curse to guarantee one’s promised return.","karmic_consequence":"If the vow is broken, the speaker claims to incur the invoked sin; if kept, he remains free of that taint and gains credibility/merit through truthfulness."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"Ethics of satya (truth-keeping) and saṅkalpa","core_concept":"Speech (vāk) binds the speaker: a vowed promise is reinforced by accepting moral liability for breach.","practical_application":"Make commitments sparingly; once made, uphold them, recognizing that social/ritual roles carry ethical scrutiny and consequences."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social roles in ritual culture","Dharma-śāstra motifs"]
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: vira
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 155.43–46 (continuation of the oath and its narrative resolution)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A merchant (Sudhana) solemnly utters an oath, invoking sin upon himself if he fails to return; the setting suggests a tense encounter with a fearsome being just off-scene.","item_prompts":["merchant with folded hands or raised right hand (oath-gesture)","shadowy presence of a brahmarākṣasa implied","courtly priest and village priest figures as symbolic vignettes","scroll/ritual paraphernalia to suggest ‘ritual culture’"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Sudhana in traditional attire, expressive eyes, right hand in oath gesture; background panels showing stylized rājapurohita and grāmapurohita; earthy reds/ochres, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: central Sudhana with ornate jewelry, embossed gold accents; small medallions depicting priestly officiants; rich temple-like backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: delicate linework, subdued palette; Sudhana’s calm but tense face; faint, atmospheric suggestion of a rākṣasa presence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: lyrical landscape with a path indicating ‘return’; Sudhana speaking; miniature inset scenes of priests; soft blues/greens with narrative clarity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"Solemn, oath-bound gravity","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"firm, restrained, slightly ominous"}
FAQs
It preserves terminology for ritual specialists (royal and village contexts), useful for reconstructing the social landscape of officiants referenced in Purāṇic literature.
No specific place-name is given; the verse contrasts royal and village settings as social categories.
The passage continues an oath-like assertion, invoking moral culpability and referencing socially recognized religious functionaries as part of the ethical framing.
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