Varaha Purana 51.6: Adhyaya 51, Shloka 6

Recollection of the Dharaṇī-vrata and the Agastya–Bhadrāśva Dialogue on Liberation

Devanagari script

श्रीवराह उवाच । प्रत्यागतं ऋषिं दृष्ट्वा भद्राश्वः श्वेतवाहनः । वरासनगतं दृष्ट्वा कृत्वा पूजां विशेषतः । अपृच्छन् मोक्षधर्माख्यं प्रश्नं सकलधारिणि ॥ ५१.६ ॥

Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana 51.6

Transliteration

śrīvarāha uvāca | pratyāgataṁ ṛṣiṁ dṛṣṭvā bhadrāśvaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ | varāsanagataṁ dṛṣṭvā kṛtvā pūjāṁ viśeṣataḥ | apṛcchan mokṣadharmākhyaṁ praśnaṁ sakaladhāriṇi || 51.6 ||

Translation

พระศรีวราหะตรัสว่า—เมื่อเห็นฤๅษีผู้กลับมาแล้ว ภัทราศวะผู้มีพาหนะสีขาวได้เห็นท่านประทับบนอาสนะอันประเสริฐ ครั้นบูชาเป็นพิเศษแล้ว โอ้ผู้ทรงค้ำจุนสรรพสิ่ง เขาจึงทูลถามปัญหาที่เรียกว่า “โมกษธรรม” คือธรรมว่าด้วยความหลุดพ้น

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Word by Word

• śrīvarāha: Śrī Varāha (the speaker)

• uvāca: said

• pratyāgatam: returned, having come back

• ṛṣim: sage/seer

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• bhadrāśvaḥ: Bhadrāśva (proper name)

• śvetavāhanaḥ: having a white vehicle/mount

• varāsana-gatam: seated on an excellent seat (vara-āsana)

• kṛtvā: having done/performed

• pūjām: worship, respectful honoring

• viśeṣataḥ: especially, in a distinguished manner

• apṛcchan: asked, inquired

• mokṣa-dharma-ākhyam: called “mokṣa-dharma”

• praśnam: question

• sakala-dhāriṇi: O bearer/sustainer of all (vocative feminine epithet)

Speaker

Varāha

Varaha Avatara Context

Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"earth_interaction":"Addressing Pṛthivī directly as ‘Sustainer of all’ while narrating; dialogic instruction through storytelling."}

Bhu Devi Dialogue

Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"observer","bhu_devi_state":"attentive, receptive to Varāha’s narration","key_question":"Implicitly: how the mokṣa-dharma inquiry arose—through Bhadrāśva’s reception of Agastya and his formal question."}

Mathura Mandala

Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}

Dharma Shastra

Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"instruction_summary":"Honor the returning ṛṣi with special pūjā and a proper seat, then inquire into mokṣa-dharma with humility.","karmic_consequence":"Reverence to sages and right inquiry become causes for receiving liberating instruction; neglect implies loss of access to higher dharma."}

Vrata Mahatmya

Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}

Cosmic Boar Symbolism

Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}

Philosophical Teaching

Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"soteriological orientation (mokṣa-dharma)","core_concept":"Liberation teaching is approached through humility, service (pūjā), and disciplined questioning.","practical_application":"Before seeking spiritual counsel, establish respect, attentiveness, and a conducive setting (āsana, pūjā, focused mind)."}

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Philosophy (Mokṣa-dharma)","Dialogue framing"]

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: royal assembly space

Cross References

Related Themes: 51.51.7 (Bhadrāśva’s mokṣa-dharma question); 51.51.8 (Agastya’s didactic opening)

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bhadrāśva, with a white vehicle nearby, welcomes the returned Agastya seated on an excellent throne-like seat, performs special worship, and then asks about mokṣa-dharma as Varāha narrates to Pṛthivī.","item_prompts":["Agastya seated on varāsana (excellent seat)","Bhadrāśva in royal attire performing pūjā (arghya, flowers, incense)","white vehicle/white horse motif to indicate ‘śvetavāhana’","court attendants and ritual vessels"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: richly ornamented king offering flowers to seated sage; stylized white horse/vehicle at edge; warm temple-like interior; Varāha as narrator implied via framing deity presence.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-leaf throne/āsana for Agastya; Bhadrāśva with jeweled crown; prominent white horse; heavy ornamentation and halos for sage and divine auspice.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined court scene; subtle expressions of humility; detailed pūjā tray; balanced composition with sage elevated on āsana.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: intimate court pavilion; delicate lines; white horse outside pavilion; sage calm, king slightly bowed with offering plate."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"reverent narrative","suggested_raga":"Śrī","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"measured, dignified, slightly ceremonial"}

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Narrative
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma Literature

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It functions as a narrative preface that introduces a formal inquiry into mokṣa-dharma, a common Purāṇic strategy for organizing philosophical instruction through dialogue and respectful courtly/ascetic etiquette.

Which geographic location is identified?

No explicit geographic toponym appears in this verse; it primarily establishes the encounter context (the ṛṣi’s return and reception).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse foregrounds disciplined inquiry and respectful reception of learned teachers—pūjā (honoring) followed by praśna (careful questioning)—as an ethical framework for approaching teachings on liberation.