Varaha Purana 7.12 — Adhyaya 7, Shloka 12
The Sanctity of Gayā: Raibhya’s Encounter and Hymn to Viṣṇu
Gadādhara
शृणुष्व चान्यं नृपतिर्बभूव विशालनामास पुरीं विशालाम् । उवास धन्यो धृतिमानपुत्रः स्वयं विशालाधिपतिर्द्विजाग्र्यान् । पप्रच्छ पुत्रार्थममित्रसाह - स्ते ब्राह्मणाश्चोचुरदीनसत्त्वाः ॥ ७.१२ ॥
śṛṇuṣva cānyaṁ nṛpatir babhūva viśālanāmā sa purīṁ viśālām | uvāsa dhanyo dhṛtimāna-putraḥ svayaṁ viśālā-dhipatir dvijāgryān | papraccha putrārtham amitra-sāha-ste brāhmaṇāś cocur adīna-sattvāḥ || 7.12 ||
ایک اور حکایت سنو—وِشال نام کا ایک راجا تھا جو وِشالا نامی عظیم نگری میں رہتا تھا۔ وہ خوش بخت اور ثابت قدم تھا مگر بے اولاد؛ وِشالا کا حاکم ہو کر اس نے دْوِجوں کے سرداروں سے پُتر-پراپتی کا طریقہ پوچھا۔ وہ برہمن بلند ہمت ہو کر جواب دینے لگے۔
Varāha (default narrative voice per dialogue framework; explicit speaker not stated in fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":false,"speaker_role":"None","bhu_devi_state":"None","key_question":"None"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"varnashrama","instruction_summary":"A king seeking putra (progeny) should approach learned brāhmaṇas and inquire properly, receiving dharmic counsel rather than acting by impulse.","karmic_consequence":"Proper counsel-seeking supports legitimate lineage, stable kingship, and merit; neglecting dharmic consultation risks adharma, instability, and fruitless rites."}
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":"dharma as guided action (śāstra-guru-pramāṇa)","core_concept":"Right action begins with right inquiry—seeking authoritative guidance when personal desire (putrārtha) is involved.","practical_application":"When pursuing major life aims (progeny, power, wealth), consult competent teachers/ritual experts and align means with dharma rather than mere wish."}
Subject Matter: ["Kingship","Dharma (counsel-seeking)","Lineage and progeny (putrārtha)","Courtly consultation with Brahmins"]
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: karuṇa
Type: royal city / capital
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 7.7.13–15: brāhmaṇas prescribe Gayā-dāna and pitṛ-kārya; king observes mysterious figures during piṇḍa-pradāna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In the royal city of Viśālā, King Viśāla—childless yet steadfast—approaches a gathered assembly of eminent brāhmaṇas to ask about obtaining a son.","item_prompts":["palace court setting","king with crown and folded hands (añjali)","seated brāhmaṇas with manuscripts/kuśa","city backdrop labeled Viśālā (optional)","attendants and royal parasol","mood of earnest inquiry"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: formal court tableau, king in añjali before brāhmaṇa assembly, strong reds/ochres, stylized architecture, dignified calm expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style: king and brāhmaṇas with gold-leaf accents on throne/parasol, ornate jewelry, symmetrical composition emphasizing dharmic consultation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: refined court interior, subtle gestures of humility, detailed textiles, brāhmaṇas rendered with scholarly gravitas.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari style: intimate narrative court scene, delicate faces, architectural framing, emphasis on the king’s longing and respectful posture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative, anticipatory","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"storytelling clarity with slight gravity on ‘aputraḥ’ and ‘putrārtham’"}
FAQs
It preserves a common Purāṇic narrative pattern: a ruler consults learned brāhmaṇas for guidance on dynastic continuity (putrārtha), reflecting the social role of scholarly counsel in classical Sanskrit courtly culture.
Viśālā/Viśālā (often associated in broader Sanskrit literature with Vaiśālī in ancient Videha/Licchavi regions). This verse itself names the city but does not provide further identifiers; correlation is based on comparative textual geography.
The verse foregrounds a governance ethic of seeking learned counsel (dvijāgryān) for major life and state concerns, presenting deliberation and consultation as culturally valued practices.
Ask anything about this verse
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.