Varaha Purana 180.72 — Adhyaya 180, Shloka 72
The Glory of Dhruva-Tīrtha: Rules of Ancestor Libations and Śrāddha, and the Consequences of Lineage-Continuity
मुषिताच्छिद्रकरणैस्तद्दानफलभोक्तृभिः ॥ यथा गतास्तथा ते तु श्राद्धहूतास्तु निष्फलाः
muṣitācchidrakaraṇaistaddānaphalabhoktṛbhiḥ || yathā gatāstathā te tu śrāddhahūtāstu niṣphalāḥ
وبسبب الذين يسرقون ويُحدِثون «عيوبًا» (ثغراتٍ احتيالية)، فيغدون آكلين لثمرة ذلك العطاء، فإنّ المدعوين إلى شرادها يذهبون كما جاءوا؛ حقًّا يكونون بلا ثمرةٍ للمتصدّق.
Varāha (default, speaker not explicit in this verse-fragment)
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"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":"shraddha","instruction_summary":"Those who steal or introduce ‘defects’ (chidra) and then consume the gift’s fruit render the śrāddha invitation ineffective—the invited depart as they came; the sponsor gains no result.","karmic_consequence":"Fraud/embezzlement in śrāddha causes niṣphalatā (loss of merit) and accrues sin to the perpetrators; integrity preserves śrāddha-phala and ancestral satisfaction."}
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":"karma and moral causality","core_concept":"Phala follows ethical alignment; when intermediaries steal, the causal chain of merit is severed despite outward ritual form.","practical_application":"Audit śrāddha logistics: trustworthy officiants/recipients, full delivery of promised items, avoid ‘chidra’ (procedural loopholes) and misappropriation."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Studies","Economic morality"]
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bībhatsa
Type: ritual-economy setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: immediate context on deceit nullifying śrāddha/dāna/vrata
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha scene where invited brāhmaṇas/guests leave empty-handed or unchanged, while a corrupt intermediary hides the offerings; the sponsor looks distressed as merit dissipates.","item_prompts":["śrāddha altar with piṇḍas","invited guests departing","hidden pouch/covered basket indicating theft","sponsor with anxious posture","dimmed aura over offerings"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: narrative frieze—left: śrāddha setup; center: thief figure; right: guests departing; strong color symbolism (dharma bright, adharma dark).","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate śrāddha arrangement with gold accents, thief minimized but clear, guests in profile leaving, sponsor seated with worried expression.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed domestic ritual interior, subtle depiction of theft, emphasis on facial expressions and ritual vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: gentle but pointed moral tableau, minimal interior, expressive gestures of departure, symbolic empty hands."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"grave and accusatory","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"weighted, emphasizing ‘niṣphalāḥ’ as a moral verdict"}
FAQs
It documents a moral-economy critique: improper intermediaries or fraudulent conduct can nullify the intended merit of ritual gifting, a concern echoed in other Sanskrit normative texts.
No geographic location is identified.
Ritual benefit is undermined by theft and manipulation; integrity in handling offerings is treated as essential.
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.