Varaha Purana 21.39 — Adhyaya 21, Shloka 39
The Disruption of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice, the Hari–Hara Conflict, and the Establishment of Rudra’s Sacrificial Share
दक्ष उवाच । गृह्यन्तां द्रुतमस्त्राणि संग्रामोऽत्र विधीयताम् । एवमुक्ते तदा देवैर्विविधायुधधारिभिः । रुद्रस्यानुचरैः सार्धं महद्युद्धं प्रवर्तितम् ॥ २१.४० ॥
dakṣa uvāca | gṛhyantāṁ drutam astrāṇi saṁgrāmo 'tra vidhīyatām | evam ukte tadā devair vividhāyudha-dhāribhiḥ | rudrasyānucaraiḥ sārdhaṁ mahad yuddhaṁ pravartitam || 21.40 ||
Dakṣa nói: “Hãy mau cầm lấy vũ khí; hãy lập chiến trận tại đây.” Khi lời ấy vừa dứt, một cuộc giao chiến lớn bùng nổ giữa chư thiên mang đủ loại binh khí và các tùy tùng của Rudra.
Dakṣa
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"rajaniti","instruction_summary":"When dharma/ritual order is threatened, the leader commands immediate mobilization; delay in defense is itself a fault.","karmic_consequence":"Swift protection of order preserves worlds and merit; negligence enables adharma to spread and destroys sacrificial fruit."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"dharma of protective force (daṇḍa)","core_concept":"Daṇḍa (coercive power) is legitimate when deployed to defend sacred order and prevent sacrilege.","practical_application":"Use force only under rightful authority and clear purpose—defense of order, not personal rage; act promptly when protection is required."}
Subject Matter: ["Mythic-Historical Narrative","Conflict and Kingship","Ritual-Political Tension"]
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: battlefield
Related Themes: 21.21.41 (combatants listed)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Dakṣa issues a crisp command; immediately the gods, armed with diverse weapons, clash alongside Rudra’s attendants in a massive battle.","item_prompts":["Dakṣa commanding gesture","devas with bows, spears, maces, discs","Rudra’s gaṇas/attendants with fierce forms","dust and motion lines","yajña-fire in background threatened by chaos"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dynamic battle tableau with rhythmic figure arrangement, bold reds and greens, stylized weapons, gaṇas with fierce masks, Dakṣa as commanding anchor.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: heroic central figures with gold highlights on weapons and crowns, layered composition showing two forces colliding, ornate halos amid chaos.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: balanced yet energetic battle scene, detailed armor and ornaments, expressive faces, controlled palette with emphasis on movement.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: narrative battle with clear groupings, swirling banners, compact action, expressive gaṇas, and a visible altar at the edge to stress ritual stakes."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"martial, commanding","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"forceful, percussive diction, heightened volume on ‘saṅgrāmaḥ’ and ‘mahadyuddham’"}
FAQs
It preserves a common Purāṇic conflict motif—ritual authority and divine retinues in tension—useful for comparative study across Purāṇas and related Sanskrit narrative traditions.
No specific toponym is stated in this verse; “atra” (“here”) functions as an in-scene deictic reference rather than a named site.
The verse does not present an explicit ethical maxim; it records a command that precipitates violence, serving narratively to mark escalation and the consequences of authoritative injunctions in a contested setting.
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