Varaha Purana 167.10 — Adhyaya 167, Shloka 10
The Glory of the Viśrānti Tīrtha and the Account of a Rākṣasa’s Liberation
अन्धकूपे स पतितो घोररूपोऽवसत्तदा ॥ कदाचिदथ कार्येषु महान्सार्थ उपागतः ॥
andhakūpe sa patito ghorarūpo 'vasat tadā || kadācid atha kāryeṣu mahān sārtha upāgataḥ ||
Siya’y nahulog sa isang madilim na hukay at noon ay nanatili roon sa kakila-kilabot na kalagayan. Pagkaraan ng ilang panahon, dahil sa mga gawain, dumating ang isang malaking karaban.
Varāha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Varāha continues the exemplum for Bhūmi, shifting from royal punishment to fate-like peril (falling into a blind pit) and the arrival of societal agents (caravan)."}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"uneasy, reflective on suffering","key_question":"How does wrongdoing lead to further degradation and helplessness, and by what means can rescue or transformation become possible?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}
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":"moral psychology / allegorical ethics","core_concept":"Adharma culminates in ‘andhakūpa’—a state of obscuration and helplessness; relief often arrives through contact with dharmic society (sādhu/saṅgha, here a caravan).","practical_application":"Treat moral decline early; seek good company and guidance before one is trapped in consequences that are hard to escape."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Social history (trade caravans)","Narrative setting"]
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Type: hazard site / roadside wilderness
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: subsequent protection of the caravan by mantra and the rākṣasa’s approach
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A man lies trapped in a deep, dark pit; above, dust rises as a large caravan approaches along the road.","item_prompts":["deep pit with steep sides","figure in distress below","caravan: ox-carts/camels/horses","merchants with bundles","roadside landscape"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: strong chiaroscuro for the pit, stylized caravan procession, expressive suffering figure, earthy tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: layered composition with gold accents on caravan ornaments, pit rendered as a dark oval void, dramatic contrast.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed caravan textiles and harnesses, subtle shading for depth of pit, poignant facial expression.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: hillside road with a winding caravan, pit in foreground, delicate landscape washes, narrative clarity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"somber, narrative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"grave, compassionate"}
FAQs
Mentions of a ‘sārtha’ indicate awareness of long-distance trade formations in narrative literature, offering cultural context beyond ritual themes.
No specific place-name occurs in this verse; it describes a ‘dark pit’ and the arrival of a caravan.
The narrative underscores consequence (fall into misery) and sets up a potential turning point through encounter with others.
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.