Varaha Purana 164.23: Adhyaya 164, Shloka 23
The Efficacy of Circumambulating Annakūṭa
Govardhana
तासां गवां रक्षणाय धृतो गिरिवरस्तदा ॥ सोऽन्नकूट इति ख्यातः सर्वतः शक्रपूजितः ॥
tāsāṃ gavāṃ rakṣaṇāya dhṛto girivaras tadā || so'nnakūṭa iti khyātaḥ sarvataḥ śakrapūjitaḥ ||
ต่อมา เพื่อคุ้มครองฝูงโคเหล่านั้น ภูเขาอันประเสริฐได้ถูกยกขึ้นค้ำไว้ในกาลนั้น ภูเขานั้นจึงเป็นที่รู้จักว่า ‘อันนะกูฏะ’ และได้รับการสักการะจากศักระ (อินทรา) รอบทุกทิศ
Varāha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"instructor"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":true,"specific_site":"Annakūṭa / Govardhana (explicit as ‘Annakūṭa’)","parikrama_context":"Directly grounds Govardhana-parikramā: the hill as a worship-worthy protector and named tīrtha-feature (Annakūṭa).","krishna_connection":"Central Kṛṣṇa-līlā: lifting Govardhana to protect cows and Vraja; Indra’s later honoring signals Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy."}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Annakūṭa/Govardhana-pūjā (implied)","tithi_month":"Kārttika śukla pratipadā (commonly associated; not stated in verse)","promised_fruit":"Protection of cattle/community, prosperity through anna-dāna symbolism, and Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-prīti (implied by the mahatmya frame)."}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma of protection (rakṣā) / bhakti","core_concept":"Bhagavān’s power manifests as shelter for the dependent—especially cows (go-rakṣā) and devotees.","practical_application":"Practice go-sevā and community protection; see sacred geography as living dharma—care for hills, forests, and cattle as part of devotion."}
Subject Matter: ["Ecology","Sacred Geography","Ethics","Heritage Sites"]
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: sacred hill (giri-tīrtha)
Related Themes: Followed by 164.27 (satisfaction of devas, cows, sages) and 164.28 (tarpaṇa merit and Kadamba-khaṇḍa-kuṇḍa)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kṛṣṇa effortlessly holds aloft Govardhana/Annakūṭa like an umbrella while cows and Vraja folk gather beneath; Indra/Śakra honors the hill from the skies.","item_prompts":["Kṛṣṇa lifting mountain with one hand/finger","arched hill forming canopy","cows and calves sheltered","gopas/gopīs with offerings","Indra in clouds paying homage","rain falling outside the shelter"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: monumental Kṛṣṇa under the lifted hill; rhythmic rows of cows; rain as patterned bands; Indra above with ornate crown; saturated blues/greens with gold accents.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Kṛṣṇa with heavy gold-leaf jewelry; Govardhana rendered as jeweled mound; devotees with piled food offerings (annakūṭa); Indra in gilded cloud niche.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant Kṛṣṇa posture, serene face; detailed cattle; soft rain; balanced composition emphasizing shelter and grace.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: charming pastoral scene; stylized hill canopy; clustered villagers; delicate cloud forms; narrative clarity with bright natural colors."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"triumphant, protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairav (for gravity) or Megh (for continuity)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"uplifted and steady, with emphasis on ‘rक्षणाय’ and ‘अन्नकूट’"}
FAQs
It links a landscape-name (Annakūṭa) to a protective act involving a mountain and cattle, illustrating how Purāṇas embed ecological and pastoral values into place-based memory.
Annakūṭa, closely associated with the Govardhana hill complex in the Braj region; it functions both as a toponym and as a narrative landmark.
Protection of vulnerable dependents (here, cattle) is presented as a central duty; the landscape itself becomes a symbol of shelter and stewardship.
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