Varaha Purana 189.52: Adhyaya 189, Shloka 52
Section on the Origin and Procedure of Piṇḍa-Rites (Funerary Offerings) and Donor–Recipient Purification
संतारयति दुर्गेभ्यो विषमेभ्यो न संशयः ॥ एकोऽपि तारितुं शक्तो यथा नावा महज्जलम् ॥
santārayati durgebhyo viṣamebhyo na saṃśayaḥ | eko 'pi tārituṃ śakto yathā nāvā mahaj jalam ||
เขาย่อมพาผู้อื่นข้ามพ้นอันตรายและทางอันกันดาร—ไม่ต้องสงสัย แม้เพียงผู้เดียวก็สามารถพาข้ามได้ ดุจเรือที่ข้ามห้วงน้ำอันกว้างใหญ่
Varāha (default dialogue instructor)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"reassured","key_question":"How can a single virtuous/qualified agent rescue many from peril and saṃsāric difficulty?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"The ‘boat across great waters’ aligns with avatāra and guru as tāraṇa (ferryman) principle: concentrated divine/qualified agency carries beings over saṃsāra.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Not explicit yajña-limb mapping; implicit tāraṇa imagery: the single ‘nāva’ as dharma/knowledge that bears many across the flood.","vedantic_connection":"Guru/Īśvara as the means (upāya) for crossing bhava-sāgara; one-pointed refuge (eka-śaraṇa) yields liberation-oriented safety."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"soteriology/ethical maxim","core_concept":"One true support—dharma embodied in a single worthy person/teaching—can deliver many from peril.","practical_application":"Seek and support authentic guides and institutions; cultivate one steady dharmic anchor (study, discipline, devotion) rather than scattered half-measures."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Philosophical Instruction"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: karuṇa
Type: symbolic landscape
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 189.57 (one brāhmaṇottama); Varāha Purāṇa 189.59 (dāna to brāhmaṇa)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lone sturdy boat ferries many across a dark, turbulent expanse; onshore stands a single luminous guide figure symbolizing the ‘one who can save’.","item_prompts":["wide river/ocean with waves","single boat carrying multiple passengers","distant storm clouds vs safe shore","guide figure with lamp or staff","sense of peril turning to safety"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic stylized waves and bold contours; central boat motif; luminous guide figure with calm face.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold highlights on the safe shore and guide aura; ornate boat prow; contrast between dark water and radiant refuge.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, naturalistic water shading; serene guide; balanced composition emphasizing reassurance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari, lyrical river scene with patterned waves; small boat with many figures; mountain horizon and soft sky."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"reassuring, contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shivaranjani","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"steady, consoling"}
FAQs
The boat-crossing simile is a widely attested Sanskrit didactic trope, showing how Purāṇas employ memorable imagery to summarize ethical and practical teaching.
No named location is given; “great water” functions as a universal metaphor rather than a specific site.
Competence and integrity concentrated in a single agent can be sufficient to guide others through hardship.
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